Getting To Know You
by Esukii
Summary: Yuuki has got a secret admirer and certain hunter and pureblood are not happy. What happens when their obsession to know about this new guy starts bringing them close? Maybe too close.
1. Secret Admirer

_Helloooo!_

_So, um, this is my first fic, so please don't kill me it it's not that good ;A; I'm trying my best to make this work! I've never written something like this, I'm more into drawing than writing and English isn't my first language, so…please bear with me __^^; _

_This story actually starts after Chapter 23, after the whole Shizuka thing but before Rido. Rido is not going to be in this story, nor is the rest of the manga after Chapter 23. So Zero is still drinking Yuuki's blood, hasn't drank from Kaname…yet XD And…well, yeap, kind of an AU because Yuuki is a born human in this story and Kaname was born from Haruka and Juri._

_The wonderful characters of Vampire Knight belong to Matsuri Hino. Only this story is by me :3 I hope you like it and please tell me what you think about it! I'm not sure how often I will update, but I will try to do it as regularly as possible. Thanks for reading and…enjoy :)_

Chapter One

"A date?" Zero nearly choked on his water as he placed his glass back on the table before he could break it or something. He turned to look at the short girl behind him who was holding a big bouquet of beautiful flowers, mostly consisting on roses with both her tiny hands. Her blushing face was hidden behind the big arrangement and Zero had to take it from her hands to see her expression, which quickly turned the other way as it was revealed. Zero looked into the flowers and grabbed the little note attached to one of them, careful not to damage any of the surely expensive bouquet. He didn't like it at all, but he knew Yuuki would be mad with him if he were to ruin any of these or the many other flowers that had been crowding Yuuki's room for the past month.

Around 5 weeks ago Yuuki had gotten a small letter from "a secret admirer". After that, countless gifts and love letters had reached her door everyday, all of them from the same secret person. At first, Zero had blamed Kaname for this, thinking all these expensive stuff could only be afforded by the pureblood, but to his surprise, he had not only denied any connection with the abundant gifts but had also insisted that Zero would keep him informed about the whole matter.

He had only agreed to it because he was worried of who might be sending all this to Yuuki, and he wanted her safe. So everyday he would meet with Kaname and inform him of everything. The pureblood had also begun to look into the case. A couple of weeks ago he had assigned a guard to keep an eye around the school in hopes that he would catch this "secret admirer" in the act of delivering more of his presumptuous gifts. But all they had managed until now was to scare the poor delivery guy who apparently knew nothing about the source of the packages.

Both Zero and Kaname were about to send spies all over the town when Yuuki had practically ordered them to stop overreacting.

"I appreciate that you two are worried about me, but I don't want you to be" Yuuki had told them when she had finally managed to get the courage to speak to Kaname, right after finding out he was planning on assigning her a private guardian. "Especially not you, Kaname-senpai."

Zero and Kaname couldn't help but worry over her. The whole Shizuka mess had left them kind of paranoiac. Who knew what kind of sick bastard could be trying to get to her. What if it was a trap? What if it was a vampire? What if they wanted to hurt her by luring her out like this? What if they wanted to get to her to then get to Kaname? What if she got kidnapped or even killed! Or what if…they were just overreacting? What if it was just a normal guy who had feelings for her and just happened to have a considerable amount of money to buy her presents? …Nah, that couldn't be it.

"I am capable of taking care of myself and if I ever find something suspicious I promise will let you know, okay? But stop worrying so much, please"

After that, both vampires had kept in touch through the phone and still trying to find out who this guy was and why he was so hard to track, while making sure Yuuki wouldn't know they were still doing it. They just couldn't take any chances. If it was indeed something harmful and Yuuki got hurt, they would never forgive themselves.

Days had gone by and the gifts kept coming, its sender still keeping himself anonymous. But that was apparently going to change. Tonight.

"Um…yeah" Yuuki finally spoke, snatching the note from Zero's hand before he could read it. "It says he wants to meet me tonight at that new place they just opened a few months ago"

"Where? The Red Carpet? That place is horribly expensive, Yuuki! Nobody gets in there unless your skin is made of gold or something" Zero said, his worry now intensifying. If Yuuki went to that place, Zero wouldn't be let inside, not without a reservation; he wouldn't be able to watch over her. He couldn't even stand outside the door without getting kicked away; they guarded the place like a freaking bank! "You can't go, I won't let you."

"You can't tell me what I can or can't do," Yuuki argued. She was not sure if she would go, all of this just seemed pretty weird. The gifts were all still wrapped in their package, in her closet, waiting for her to find their buyer and return them. She couldn't keep them! All those things...the necklace, the dress, the beautiful shoes, those amazing earrings, the bag, the expensive chocolates, cookies and other sweets. How Yuuki wanted to taste them, they looked delicious and she didn't think she would ever get the chance to have a box of those ever again, but it didn't feel right. All those things were too much for her. She didn't like the idea of someone she didn't know spending so much money on her. And it also scared her a little that all the clothes and the shoes were just her size. Whoever this person was clearly knew more about her than she felt comfortable with.

But even with all that, she was curious. The letters were so sweet and made her blush so much. It was such a confidence booster to know that she had caught the attention of someone. For some reason she hadn't wanted Kaname to know about this, but Zero had told him all about it, and without her permission! Zero was kind of her brother, so she could understand why he would get worried, but why had Kaname also shown the same amount of concern over it? Suddenly all the attention was making her feel…good. She really wanted to know who this guy was, and she needed to return all the gifts to him. She was extremely grateful for them, but she couldn't keep them. She just couldn't.

"Yuuki, that guy may be dangerous, you could get hurt and I can't keep you safe if you go into that place alone," Zero warned her "Please, don't go"

"But Zero, I need to know who he is," Yuuki insisted "There will be a lot of people in the place, if he means harm he can't do it in front of so many, so I will be safe."

"Yuuki…what about Kuran? You said you loved him, you can't run off with another guy" Zero almost bit his tongue at that. He definitely didn't want Yuuki to be with Kaname, but if that kept her away from this guy for now, he would insist.

"Zero!" Yuuki blushed, taking the flowers from the table and turning for the door. "I just want to know who he is" she made her way through the hallway to her bedroom door with Zero close behind her "Besides, let's face it, I have no chance at all with Kaname-senpai."

"Of course you do!" Geez, Zero was definitely going to punch himself for this. "If you have a chance with a mysterious rich guy, you have a chance with the pampered vampire"

Yuuki let herself into her room, closing the door before Zero got the chance to get inside. "I am going to think about it, Zero, okay? I know the risks, but I really want to know more about this person. I-I have my reasons, okay?"

Zero let out a frustrated sigh before reaching for his phone. He never thought the day would come when calling Kaname Kuran on the phone would become something usual. This past month they had been spending way too much time socializing for Yuuki's sake. They had both agreed on forgetting their hate for each other until they knew for sure Yuuki was safe, which had resulted on them constantly meeting and calling each other several times a day. Zero preferred phone calls a lot more to meetings. He appreciated not being so near the pureblood and the phone granted him the comfortable feeling of knowing that if the vampire got on his nerves, he could just hang up and ignore his calls for the rest of the day.

"He asked her to meet him at The Red Carpet," Zero said once the pureblood had answered his phone, which had only taken one ring, as usual.

"He must be pretty wealthy to manage a reservation at that place" Kaname responded, his worry matching Zero's level now. "Is she going?"

"She said she's not sure yet, but I think she is" Zero sighed. He had to admit that between all that worry, there was a spark of jealousy. He knew that if all this resulted only in a normal guy with a crush, and a lot of money apparently, he wouldn't be able to hold Yuuki back. Why would he deny her someone who could take care of her the way he would never be able to? He didn't want Yuuki to be hurt, he didn't want this to be fake. He wished this guy were some wealthy human that would give her the life she deserved…and then he wished the opposite.

"What time is she planning on meeting him?" Kaname asked.

"Eight o'clock" Zero answered. He had managed to read part of the note before Yuuki had taken it back thanks to his quick vampire vision. There weren't many times when he was glad of his vampire abilities.

"Let her go" Kaname said, "I'll get us both inside that place to keep an eye on her and to finally know who this man is."

Zero grinned, remembering his earlier words to Yuuki. _Nobody gets in there unless your skin is made of gold or something. _Finally, this annoying self-centered pureblood would be of use! He could protect Yuuki now that he had his golden-skinned vampire to get him into the place.

"It's a date, then" Zero grinned, walking into his room and opening his small closet. He needed some formal clothing for this and he doubted he had any.

"No, it's not" Kaname stated through the phone, making Zero conscious of the words he had used. _It's a date?_ _The hell!_

"No, of course not." Zero quickly responded before flipping his phone shut, feeling extremely embarrassed. He needed to pay attention to what he said. He had been too close to the pureblood and too worried about Yuuki these past weeks that he had let his guard down in every sense. He just realized just how casually he and Kaname had been talking lately, and that made him suddenly uncomfortable.

-o-

Kaname stared blankly at his phone for a few seconds before putting it away. He never thought Zero Kiryuu would ever be on his speed dial, or that he would ever go with him to an expensive restaurant, even if it was just to keep an eye on Yuuki. Of course, he could just go by himself, but Zero had been the one to inform him of this whole thing first and he had kept his word of letting him know everything Yuuki got from her 'secret admirer', it was only fair that he take the hunter with him to finally unmask said admirer.

"Get me a reservation for two at The Red Carpet at eight," Kaname ordered Seiren, who swiftly left the room, phone already in hand. The pureblood knew how hard it was to get a reservation at that place on such short notice, but he trusted Seiren to get it for him.

Kaname sighed and he rested his head on the back of his seat. Who was this guy? What did he want from Yuuki? Would he hurt her? Was he plotting something? The pureblood's mind raced with questions and possibilities that he hoped would be answered tonight. It was still morning and it frustrated him how slow time was moving. He needed to get his mind off things until eight. He suddenly wished he hadn't cleared up his schedule for the week. He had nothing to do and he was starting to get a headache. Without thinking he reached for the phone and stared at the screen. The urge to call the hunter surprised the pureblood. He had just spoken to him a couple of minutes ago, why would he want to call him again? It had become a habit to call the ex-human whenever he worried about Yuuki, and he was grateful that Zero always seemed eager to answer, probably expecting some news about the guy, but he had disappointed him on that every time.

Kaname remembered the past week, when he had gone away for some days on some business matters. It had taken a lot of his time and he couldn't talk to the hunter until two days after leaving. It amused him how, lately, calling the ex-human always took almost all this worries away. As long as he said Yuuki was fine, everything was fine. He would much rather assign someone to look after her and report him about her wellbeing than having to call the hunter all the time, but Yuuki had made it clear she didn't want anyone to follow her and he didn't want to displease her. If there had been no other way of knowing she was okay, he would have sent someone to keep check on her anyway, but there was another way, and that was Zero Kiryuu. He was glad the hunter seemed to follow her everywhere and inform him nothing out of the ordinary was happening, except for the gifts, of course.

Kaname frowned. He knew most of the students at Cross Academy came from wealthy families, so it could actually be any of them. But he couldn't be sure, not when this person seemed to hide his tracks so well. He had been about to send Seiren to investigate when Yuuki had 'scolded' him for worrying too much. He chuckled. There was no such thing as worrying too much when it came to Yuuki. She was a very special person for him and he was not letting anything hurt her. Anything. But he had promised Yuuki that he would drop the subject for a while. He was glad that maybe tonight he would finally know who this person is. Once he knew his face or his name, he could easily find out who he is and what his intentions might be. He couldn't wait. He was tempted on having the reservation list of the restaurant and getting every single name in it be thoroughly researched, but…no. He could wait.

He eyed his phone again and looked at Zero's name on the screen. He suddenly wondered if Zero had any formal clothes. He couldn't remember a time when he had seen the hunter wear something that wasn't his uniform or his usual jeans and shirts. If they were going to do this, they needed to be as inconspicuous as possible, and that meant going through the door without the ex-human drawing attention to himself for his lack of proper clothing. He knew how strict that restaurant was; he had been there a couple of times.

"You need proper clothing," Kaname said once the hunter had answered his call.

"What? You think I don't have any?" Zero asked. Nope, he didn't, but he didn't like the pureblood making conclusions like that with him, no matter how true they were right now.

"Meet me at the gates in 15 minutes, I will take you to town so you can get something to wear tonight" Kaname said, hanging up before the hunter could answer back. He grinned as the ex-human's name flashed on his screen a few seconds later. He let it ring a couple of times before answering.

"Don't hang up on me like that, vampire!" Zero growled. He didn't even know why he had called him again, but it had become a casual thing between them; he would hang up on Kaname and he would call back again and viceversa, and they both would call again just to insult the other and then hang up again. It made no sense, really. Good thing he had convinced the pureblood to pay for his phone bill.

Kaname held back a chuckle and hung up again without replying. He never got the chance to do childish things like these except with the hunter, and it was quite nice.

Zero grumbled as he pocketed his phone and slid his jacket on. He didn't bother in taking his wallet; he was going to make the vampire pay for everything, the bastard.

"Yuuki, I'm going out for a bit" Zero said as he knocked on her door. Suddenly he felt a cold shiver go through him as he realized he was about to leave her alone. Chairman Cross had been awfully busy lately and he was not here right now. He just came for little whiles to say how his 'baby' was growing and how he would fight every man that ever dared to come near her. Zero knew the old man was concerned, but he trusted him and Kaname to keep her safe.

He was about to get his phone out when he caught a glimpse of Seiren on the window outside. Kaname had sent her to keep an eye on Yuuki then. Relief fell over him and that terrified him. Why would he be relieved to leave Yuuki in the care of the creepy stalking vampire creepily staring at him through the window?

"Where are you going?" Yuuki asked as she opened the door of her room, a towel resting on her arm. She was about to take a shower and she was kind of glad Zero was leaving, it meant she could have a little more privacy, but she wondered where Zero could be meaning to go so early.

"Um, just going to check some things" Zero said, "Kuran wants me to go see something," he added, regretting his words almost immediately.

Yuuki eyed him suspiciously before smiling. "You two seem to be getting along better."

"We're not getting along, we're just…researching" Zero said, not looking at her. Yuuki only giggled as she stepped outside her room, tossing the towel onto her shoulder.

"I'm glad you two are on better terms now, but this isn't about my 'date' tonight, is it?" Yuuki wondered, "because I don't want you two to overreact again because of this." Seriously, she really appreciated it, but she didn't want them to get into trouble and she definitely didn't want them to get so involved in her personal life. She had just decided she would attend to the dinner, and even if she preferred going alone, she was really considering having Zero wait for her outside the restaurant, in case something happened, which she doubted. She couldn't think of any reason someone would bother to get her all this things just to harm her, but these two constant worrying had made her wonder.

"Look, I'm just going out for a while, I will be back soon," Zero said, taking the keys to the house and heading for the door before Yuuki would ask something else. He wasn't going to tell her where he was going, it would lead to other questions that would lead to him admitting he was going to spy on her date.

"Um…okay, but Zero…" Yuuki didn't get to finish the sentence before the hunter left the house, locking the door behind him. She frowned at the door and then went back to her room. She was really nervous about all of this and didn't quite know how to take it. What would happen tonight? Would she have to let down this person? What about Kaname…?

Zero wasn't surprised to see a limo already waiting for him at the gates of the academy. He had traveled in it a couple of times before, when he and Kaname had gone following the delivery guy to interrogate him. The poor guy thought he was being kidnapped and had almost had a heart attack. That hadn't been a nice day.

The hunter slid into the limo as the door was closed behind him. Kaname was already there, looking out the car with his arm perched on the windowsill, barely acknowledging the hunter's presence. Zero eyed his figure for a while. It wasn't fair that he looked so good. Beasts like him didn't deserve to have such a perfect body. Monsters like Kaname Kuran were not supposed to draw his attentions this way. The hunter kept looking at Kaname before his eyes suddenly met with the pureblood's. "What?" Kaname asked.

Zero quickly turned away. "Nothing."

Kaname raised an eyebrow. What had all that staring been about? Was he…blushing? Was Zero Kiryuu seriously blushing? Wow. Kaname smiled in amusement as he looked at the hunter. He was wearing a loose shirt and his usual jeans, nothing out of the ordinary, yet his piercings and unusual coloring certainly made him look pretty interesting. And that blush across his cheeks was even more. No matter how hard the ex-human tried to hide it, he cold still see the reddish tone on his cheeks.

"Hey, you okay?" Kaname asked him, his amused grin still in place.

Zero glared at him, finally able to get rid of the unexpected warm feeling on his cheeks. "No. Could you get as far away from me as possible, please? I don't want to catch your vampire cooties."

"That won't be necessary, the seat you are on is already infested with them, so I think it is already too late to worry about that," Kaname replied, both of them continuing the childish chats and arguments Kaname enjoyed so much. It truly relaxed him to talk about unimportant things once in a while. He hadn't had much of a childhood, so it was nice to have these moments. They made him feel like getting a water gun out and spraying the ex-human's face just to see how he would react. He was starting to enjoy the company of the hunter, not that he would ever admit it.

The limo started moving and the pureblood turned back to look at the road outside, suddenly wondering where he could get a water gun.


	2. Unusual morning

_Thank you everyone for the wonderful comments on the first chapter *-* It definitely got me very motivated to keep writing and it also got me a little nervous ^^; I really hope I don't disappoint you guys ;A; And I also hope there aren't many mistakes in this story xD I checked it before posting it, but it wasn't long since I got an eye surgery so they're not that reliable yet xDD_

_I hope you like this chapter!_

* * *

><p>Chapter Two<p>

Zero flipped his phone open and played with the keys for a while. He wasn't going to do anything, he just needed to do something with his hands. Being in such a small space with the pureblood made his hunter senses go mad, and having to just sit there made him feel too awkward. He needed to have something in his hands, it kind of relieved his awkwardness a little.

Kaname watched how the hunter pretended to type on his phone. The road from the Academy and the town wasn't long, but it still took a while to reach. Their conversation had died a couple of minutes ago and he had noticed how the silence was becoming too awkward for the ex-human.

It wasn't the first time he shared this space with the hunter, but last time they had both been too focused chasing the poor delivery guy to even notice their situation. Actually, now that the pureblood remembered, they had both been practically on top of each other that day. The guy had been on a bike, pedaling as fast as he could, trying to escape the men he thought planned to hurt him, which had made Zero and Kaname pop their heads out the window of the limo and yell at the guy that they meant no harm. Kaname now only realized just how close to each other their bodies had been at that moment and none of them had noticed, well, at least he thought Zero hadn't noticed or else he would have shoved him off. Kaname wondered now why that memory was making his mind think too much, it had only lasted a few seconds after all.

He turned to look at the hunter again, noticing his fingers still on the phone, now playing a silly game on the small screen. It amused him how the awkwardness had been replaced by frustration. The game must be getting on his nerves, and he was right. Zero had never played this silly game before, he hadn't even known his phone had it, but had decided to give it a try now to get his mind off the uneasy situation. But it wasn't helping. The stupid little man in the game refused to move when he needed him to and he kept getting killed after just a few seconds in the game.

Finally, Zero gave up and flipped his phone shut. If the little man wanted to die, then so be it. He looked up and saw that the pureblood was watching him with an amused smile playing on his lips. Zero glared at him.

"You killed the little virtual people, Kiryuu, how mean of you," Kaname said with mock concern, earning another glare from the hunter. In the past month they had both gone from ignoring the other's presence to poking each other until one of them tried to attack the other. Of course, Zero was the one who always lost his patience first and tried to lash at the pureblood, never succeeding, which only increased the hunter's frustration.

"Shut up, Kuran, or I'll toss you into the pit along with your virtual little friends" Zero snapped, crossing his arms in front of him and resting his head on the seat.

Kaname snorted. "I'd take you down with me" he grinned, glad the hunter was talking again. Before, he couldn't even stand the ex-human's grumpy voice, but now it amused him to no end.

"I wouldn't let you," Zero argued, raising an eyebrow and wondering why the pureblood always seemed to encourage these silly conversations instead of just ignoring his comments like he used to.

"That wouldn't stop me," Kaname continued, not bothering to hide the pleased smile on his face.

"Are you on drugs or something?" Zero asked, seriously considering it to be true for a moment. The vampire was smiling too much today and it terrified him. Maybe this whole secret admirer thing was affecting him too much. The pureblood's sudden laugh only made his suspicions grow stronger. He had never seen this creature laughing, and the few times he had seen his smile, it had been a pretty scary one, obviously hiding dark thoughts behind it, but right now Kaname was actually letting little laughs every few minutes and that amused grin wouldn't leave his graceful lips.

"I assure you that I am not" Kaname grinned, trying to stop the small chuckles. "Such a silly conclusion, , I must say I expected a much more creative…"

"Oh, put a sock in it, Kuran" Zero snapped, not letting him finish his sentence and annoyed by the pureblood's constant desire to make him edgy.

The limo finally stopped and the door from Kaname's side flung open. The driver respectfully bowed to Kaname as the pureblood exited the car and received instructions as to when to pick them up. Zero joined Kaname's side as the limo drove away. The place was crowded, and Zero cursed himself for not having accepted the chairman's offer to get him a suit for the past ball at the Academy. He had his uniform, he had seen no need in getting a suit, but now he thought it would have saved him a lot of trouble.

"We could go back," Kaname said, noticing the displeased look in the hunter's eyes. "You could wear one of my suits if you want." He knew the answer way before finishing the question, and was pleased when the ex-human hurriedly made his way into the crowd. He usually had a hard time knowing how the hunter would react, and he felt a surge of smug satisfaction whenever he got one right.

Zero waited until Kaname caught up with him and then followed him through the crowd.

"I forgot my wallet" Zero remembered to inform. He had intentionally left it at home, but he wasn't going to tell him that, of course. He had little money left and he wasn't going to spend it on a suit he probably wouldn't use again in a long time. Maybe he could rent one. He could easily give it back and not have to keep something that had been paid by the vampire.

"Of course you did" Kaname sighed. Money wasn't a problem for him, but he felt like the hunter was taking advantage of him since the day he had agreed on paying his phone bill.

"_I know you are worried about Yuuki, but you can't call me every five minutes to ask about her," Zero hissed at the pureblood on the other side of the line. "I said _I_ would call _you_ if anything happens, there is no reason for you to be calling _me_ so many times unless you have useful information about this whole mess."_

_The truth was that Kaname had just been bored, having to deal with business all the time. He never liked being so far from his beloved girl, the constant little nagging voice inside his head conjuring all sorts of bad things that could happen to her while he was away, it drove him mad. And now that he had an easy source of information about Yuuki's daily activities, aka Zero Kiryuu, he liked making use of it, even if it meant having to talk to the annoying hunter._

"_You're not exactly calling from next door, do you know how much I will have to pay for this?" Kaname sighted as the hunter kept bickering on the phone. If that was the reason he was making such a big deal about this, then there was no problem, he would pay for his calls then, and that would even give him more rights to call whenever he wanted._

But after that, Zero conveniently always forgot his money whenever they went out to look for more clues about the secret gifts and letters, and the pureblood had had to pay for everything. He didn't mind, but the smug expression the ex-human wore every time he paid for something made him feel like he was being used. And Kaname Kuran was not going to let Zero Kiryuu use him like that!

"Guess I'll have to pay for everything, then…again" Kaname shrugged, not letting Zero know he minded. If he was going to pay for it, he had the right to choose whatever he liked, he was definitely not letting the hunter have an opinion.

"Yeap" Zero replied, emphasizing the 'p' with a pop of his lips. The hunter looked around him as he followed the pureblood through the crowd. There were too many people and he just wanted to get into a shop before he lost it. The vampire in front of him suddenly slowed his pace and after a few minutes, the hunter realized he was doing it on purpose, probably just to annoy him. Zero grimaced. Okay, well, fine! If they were still playing this game, he would play it well.

Kaname gasped as he suddenly felt a pair of hands pressing against his back and urging him forwards, making him bump into the people in front of him, making them tumble sideways. He quickly threw short apologies around as he tried to avoid touching the people around him. "Stop it, Kiryuu!" he exclaimed, presseing both his feet hard against the floor and effectively stopping his advance through the crowd, but making the hunter bump into him, hands still sprawled against his back.

"Ow, you started it, turtle" Zero murmured as he stepped back from the pureblood and snatched his hands away, as if just noticing where they had been. "Now keep walking, let's get this done quickly, Yuuki is still back home alone."

"I would never leave Yuuki without protection" the pureblood assured, resuming his pace. "And don't do that again, you could have hurt someone."

"Keep moving," Zero pressed, poking the pureblood on the curve of his back. He wished he could take out his Bloody Rose gun and poke him with it instead of using his hand, but there were too many watching, and any vampire nearby would surely take it as a threat and cause him trouble. Besides, he just wanted to annoy the vampire.

Kaname wondered when the hunter had stopped considering him as some disgusting thing that would burn his hand if he touched him. A month ago he didn't think the hunter would be poking him like this, even if it was just to annoy him. He wouldn't have pushed him like that, either, because it meant touching him.

He also wondered when _he_ had stopped considering the hunter's touch or company something completely repulsive and unpleasant…

"Here it is," Kaname announced, pushing his thoughts aside for the moment. "Let's go."

Zero followed him into the expensive looking store, thankful that it was completely empty except for the employees. There were very few suits on display and the place was very small but beautifully decorated.

They were greeted by a young woman, probably in her 20s, with whom Kaname started talking in hushed voices, something that caught Zero's attention right away.

The young girl smiled and respectfully bowed her head to the pureblood. "Right away, sir." She walked to the back of the counter and went through a small door, leaving it open as she stepped inside.

"What's with the whispering?" Zero asked Kaname, using the same tone and volume he had heard the pureblood use with the woman.

"Nothing, I just ordered your suit," Kaname shrugged, not paying much attention to the hunter. "I'm paying for it, so I'm choosing it."

"Oh, well, which one did you choose?" Zero wondered, looking around at the ones on display.

"Not telling," Kaname grinned, his gaze fixed on the door behind the counter and a little evil grin crossing his face.

No way. Had Kuran ordered some kind of embarrassing suit for him? No, he couldn't have…he would get unwanted attention if he were to go to that restaurant wearing a weird colored outfit, and that was not a good thing for their 'spying' mission. But…the pureblood was now looking at him with a playful smile that promised something for the hunter, and he was sure it wasn't anything good.

"Idiot, tell me what you ordered!" Zero hissed, pulling at the pureblood's sleeve, "Tell me!"

"I am not telling you, and I am not going to show it to you until tonight," Kaname stated, pulling his sleeve free from Zero's grasp while enjoying the expression on the hunter's face, that was currently going through concern, frustration and then anger. "Next time, if you want to choose your clothes, bring your own money."

"Bastard," Zero growled. He was about to smack the pureblood's arm when the woman came back and placed a long black bag on the counter, obviously hiding Zero's new suit under the thin dark plastic. The hunter wondered if they gave all suits in those bags or if Kaname had ordered it to be packed that way.

Zero quickly made for the bag but was stopped by Kaname's hand pulling him away from the counter and then behind him.

His senses told him there were no vampires near the place right now, so Kaname felt free to act as he liked without the fear of ruining his image in society, and so he rushed to the counter and quickly handed his payment to the woman while keeping Zero's hand away from the suit, using his body as a barrier between the hunter and his new purchase.

The young woman just smiled in amusement as she watched both men wrestling each other as one of them tried to reach the suit and the other one kept pulling and pushing the other away from it. She would have been concerned if it weren't for the reassuring gaze and amused chuckles that came from dark haired man. It was such an unusual sight at this place, especially at this store, and she was enjoying the fun change. She wondered is these two were brothers, or maybe a couple. They certainly didn't look like brothers, so she went with the latter.

Kaname took his change back as he pushed Zero away from the counter once again, this time using his hip. The hunter stumbled backwards and fell on his butt right at the middle of the store. Kaname took the chance and quickly grabbed the black bag and rushed to the doors, barely managing a 'Thank you very much' at the woman, and a guilty smile, before the doors closed behind him. Zero scrambled back to his feet, cursing the vampire as he made his way after him.

Just as he stepped outside, he felt the strong sunlight hit his eyes and he quickly covered his face with his hands. Once his eyes adjusted to the new lighting, he found no trace of the pureblood. He could only sense a far spark of his presence somewhere inside the crowd before him, which meant he was hiding his location while still letting him know he was there.

_Stupid, egocentric, immature, insensitive, self-centered… _Zero thought of every possible insult for the pureblood as he tried to find his face in the crowd. While he looked for Kaname, his thoughts suddenly went back a few minutes and replayed the scene at the store again in his mind. He had never seen the pureblood act that way, and he had even been sure he wasn't even capable of behaving that way. They had pushed and pulled each other like little kids fighting over the last cookie in the box.

Had anyone seen them? He turned back to the store and saw the same woman who had greeted them into the place earlier, giggling along with a group of other employees. She was probably telling them all that had happened and it made Zero's face get warm all over. How embarrassing. Next time he saw that vampire, he was definitely going to kick him somewhere important.

The hunter gave up after a while and plopped down on a bench under a tree, thankful for its shade and the comfortable feeling it brought to his eyes. The sun was pretty strong right now and his eyes were stinging a bit. How was the pureblood walking around like this? He was more sensitive to this than he was, wasn't he?

Things had surely changed for them this past month. It made him wonder, though, once all of this was over, would they keep getting along like this or would they go back to their usual hatred? And was this actually 'getting along'?

Zero tried ringing the vampire again, but still got no answer. Stupid pureblood, at least he could still feel that faint trace of him around, so he knew he hadn't left him here. It wouldn't be nice having to walk back to the Academy under this sun, and he hadn't brought any money to call a taxi. Damn, this whole 'I forgot my wallet' thing was bringing him more problems for himself than for the pureblood.

The hunter closed his eyes for a moment, letting the noise of the people around him slowly become background noise and letting the breeze around relax him. It actually brought him a nice feeling of peace, which he welcomed gladly. He would worry about everything else in a minute. Right now, he was enjoying a nice time of relaxation.

The hunter wrinkled his nose as he felt a small drop of water fall between his eyes. Was it raining? Zero slowly opened his eyes only to find the most uncommon sight so far today. Kaname Kuran standing right in front of him holding a stupid, little plastic water gun.

"What the hell, Kuran!" Zero quickly tried covering his face as several strings of water started attacking his face. He couldn't believe Kaname Kuran was actually spraying his face with a water gun. Maybe he was the one on drugs, had he ingested something before coming here?

"Next. Time. Bring. Your. Own. Money." Kaname phrased each word while shooting more water on Zero's face until the small plastic weapon ran out of liquid. He couldn't resist the temptation to get the water gun once he had seen it at a small store that had crossed his way. Really, he was having such a good and carefree time today and they hadn't even been here for more than an hour.

"What the hell has that got to do with that thing?" Zero shouted as he wiped his face dry with the hem of his shirt, revealing a bit of his toned torso for a few seconds, long enough to catch the attention of certain pureblood in front of him. "And where is the suit?" the hunter added, noticing he no longer carried the black bag.

"I took it to the car," Kaname said, quickly snapping his attention back to the hunter's face, an unexpected warm feeling creeping up to his cheeks. Zero eyed him suspiciously before taking the gun from Kaname's hands. "I'm keeping this."

"No, it's mine! I bought it!" Kaname argued, quickly shoving it back from Zero's hands. He definitely wanted to use it again soon, unconsciously hoping that every time he used it, the hunter would dry his face the same way he had just a moment ago.

"You're such a child, you know, we better go back to the academy and have you checked" Zero suggested, making his way into the crowd, the pureblood quickly tagging along after him.

Zero couldn't help but noticing how intrigued the vampire seemed to be with his new toy. This guy hadn't had a proper childhood, he was sure of that. It was amusing and pretty incredible that this creature, who always seemed so powerful and serious, could have this side of him. He wondered if anyone had ever seen him like this. Maybe this was the way the pureblood usually behaved, he just hadn't noticed. Maybe this was why Yuuki had fallen in love with him, after all, he had heard someone say that she was probably the closest person Kaname had, she surely must already know this side of him pretty well.

They both made their way into the limo, glad to finally have the dark tinted windows protect them from sunlight.

It had been an unusual day so far, and it was just beginning.


	3. Calling Home

_Another chapter! *gasp* Don't get too used to it, though xD These are chapters I had already written, I just needed to tweak them a bit.  
>M<em>_y writing is so messy o.o and right now I'm feeling so inspired to write because of all your wonderful comments x333_

_ This is a short one, and it kind of reveals some things that will be coming in next chapters. As I said at the beginning, this is an AU but still with most part of the manga (until chapter 23). Kaname was born from Haruka and Juri and Yuuki was born from a human family. I will also be writing a different version of Yuuki's lost past._

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><p>Chapter Three<p>

Yuuki tilted her head to the side as she watched her room. Gifts were lying everywhere, covering most part of the floor and some were still stuffed in her closet.

There is always a part in every person that loves being the center of attention, some are stronger than others, and right now that part inside of Yuuki was practically bouncing all around her head and having a party that made the girl smile and blush as she kept looking at all the presents, most of which were still wrapped up.

Her room smelled beautifully thanks to the abundant flowers decorating it. She loved how they brought life to her room. All those colors and shapes were truly beautiful.

Next to her bed laid a mountain of little boxes of sweets, a couple of which were already empty. After a few days, she just hadn't resisted the tempting sight of them just sitting there screaming for her to eat them. She had shared them with the chairman and Yori, and she had offered some to Zero, but he refused to eat them.

On top of those boxes, there were three even smaller boxes that contained a necklace, a pair of earrings and a bracelet.

Inside her closet, there were another three boxes, one had a beautiful white dress, and the other two boxes contained a pair of shoes and a small purse.

A beautiful complete outfit was the result of putting all of them together, and the small note in the girl's hands said that she were to wear it tonight.

Yuuki sighed as she brushed her still damp hair from the shower. She had intended to return these gifts back, but she didn't want to seem ungrateful and just show up tonight wearing something else, and it worried her that she could hurt the guy's feelings if she just threw back to him this wonderful outfit that he had chosen for her, or at least she guessed he had been the one to choose it. Besides, he wanted her to wear it tonight, so she might as well use it for the purpose it had been bought for.

Some months ago she had worn the dress Kaname had given her for the ball, and she hadn't had a problem with it, well, mostly because she had been too busy trying to get Kaname to talk about his possible knowledge about her past -which she still intended to keep on after all this passed- but this didn't feel the same and it made her a little bit uneasy.

Yuuki walked towards her bed and pulled a small black box from underneath it, holding it with care as she opened it.

Shortly after Kaname had been informed of the gifts that were being brought to her, the pureblood had shown up at her doorstep with a gift of his own. A beautiful and unique rose hardened in resin. He said it was a really rare kind of flower that only bloomed once every ten years. Yuuki could have fainted of happiness at that moment, and had thanked Kaname several times before inviting him in for some tea and another round of thanking.

Kaname could shower Yuuki with tons of gifts if he wanted to, and he wanted to, but Yuuki had insisted that it wasn't necessary and that she was deeply touched with him just suggesting it. And then Zero had warned him not to start anything with this guy, not until they knew for sure who he was or what his intentions were. If this guy wanted to win Yuuki's heart, knowing that Kaname had started giving her presents as well, it would start a war. They would both start sending gift after gift to Yuuki and neither would stop until they had drowned the poor girl in chocolate boxes and flowers. Of course, he knew Yuuki's heart wouldn't be won over like that, she wasn't that kind of girl, and so it would really be a waste of time and money.

There was a soft knocking and Yuuki quickly placed the flower back on the box and rushed to the door. She opened it a few inches and peeked outside to see who it was before opening it completely. Yuuki was surprised to see one of the guards of the gates of the school but not so surprised as he handed her an envelope with a rose carefully tied around it.

"I found it at the gates a moment ago with instructions of bringing it to you," the guard said after respectfully greeting her.

"Oh, thank you very much," Yuuki replied as she bowed to the man, "I'm sorry if it caused you any trouble."

"Not at all, miss" the guard said, softly smiling at her before tipping his hat to her "I'll be leaving now, have a nice day," he added before walking off.

Yuuki went back into the house and closed the door before quickly opening the envelope. This was the same kind of envelopes her secret admirer used on every letter he sent to her, so she had already guessed who it was from. It was pretty exciting every time she received something written, and it had become very fun, like a game where she received clues she needed to decipher.

'A car will pick you up at 19:30 and take you to The Red Carpet for our date. Be ready by then. I am really excited to see you.'

"But what if it takes you somewhere else? What if it's a trap?" Zero worried after reading the note. He had just gotten home and Yuuki had shown the note to him to let him know about it. Meeting at a restaurant with a lot of people around to watch them was one thing, but getting into a car with no guaranty that it would drive to the place it was supposed to, well that was different. Kaname was right behind him reading the short text over the hunter's shoulder.

Yuuki really enjoyed seeing these two standing so close without them pointing guns and throwing threats at each other. If nothing of this worked, she hoped that at least this would stay the same. She liked having her two favorite men finally realize that being near the other wasn't as bad as they always made it seem.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Yuuki?" Kaname asked her, a sweet and concerned tone in his voice. He was worried this could be some twisted plot to get to him, and he didn't want Yuuki to get hurt because of him. It was already becoming common knowledge that the pureblood held some affection for this girl and he didn't doubt someone could use it against him. If this was the case, Kaname would make sure heads rolled. "I could go in your place if you don't feel sure about this."

"That won't be necessary, Kaname-senpai" Yuuki assured him, a little blush painted across her cheeks at having both men hovering over her in worry. "I'll be fine, I actually came up with a plan if I see anything odd" She was not going to walk just like that into some stranger's car without precautions, especially not when these two's paranoia had rubbed a little on her.

"You are both on my speed dial, I'll have my phone in my hand the whole time I am in the car, if I see something is not going right, I will give you a call to let you know there is something suspicious," she explained as she held her phone to them.

"But what if there is no signal?" Kaname asked, trying not to voice the several possible flaws of Yuuki's little plan.

"Oh…I don't see any reason it would lose signal but…it's a good point" Yuuki sighed, sad that her idea hadn't stirred some calm on these two as she had hoped.

"We could go with you," Zero suggested "I mean, in the car, once we get there, we can escort you to the door and…go in with you, or wait outside…or leave if you don't want us there" The hunter would sill get in there and watch over Yuuki, but if there was a way to do it without going behind her back, it would make things a lot easier.

"We can drive right behind the car, just to know for sure it takes you where it should," Kaname added.

"Well… as long as it isn't a problem with you, Kaname-senpai," Yuuki brought her palms together in a pleading way and bowed a little to the pureblood, "If you drive behind the car that picks me up, that would be very reassuring" She thought it was a good idea and it would make her feel safe until she got to the restaurant.

"It would be my pleasure, after all, I'm just looking after my precious Yuuki," Kaname said, showing the girl a dazzling smile that would make any of the day class girls swoon. He was letting the guy have a date with her, but he wasn't letting him win her over. No matter who he was, he was not giving Yuuki to him. "We can also wait for you until you leave the place, so we know your return will also be a safe one." He didn't suggest going in with her because he knew she would be uncomfortable if she knew they were watching her, of course they were going to watch her, but she didn't know that.

Yuuki smiled shyly, "Thank you, Kaname-senpai, really. I will make it up to you afterwards," she assured him. She caught his gaze and almost bit her lip. She was going out with someone while she obviously still felt very strongly about this vampire, but she had no chance with him. Even if the pureblood showed interest in her, he couldn't be with a human. She knew everyone in the vampire society expected him to marry another pureblood, and being with a human wouldn't do him good. She had accepted that during these past days, and maybe this was the chance life had given her to follow a more possible and less painful path for her and for Kaname.

She took a deep breath, holding back a small tear that had started forming in her eye. She suddenly felt as if she was saying goodbye to her hopes with Kaname. And maybe she was, maybe this was where it all ended for them, when she finally accepted this beautiful pureblood was completely out of her reach. This was the time when she would stop trying to reach for his love and would only continue to hold unto him as a dear, dear friend.

Kaname was surprised when Yuuki suddenly threw herself to him in a tight hug, but he remained calm as he hugged her back, almost cradling her. He wasn't sure what had brought this up, but he was glad. It had been quite long since she had hugged him like this and it had made him wonder if he had done something wrong, but now it seemed everything was okay and he was very happy.

Zero was getting really uncomfortable now. These two had been hugging each other for what felt like hours.

He had seen something flicker in Yuuki's eyes before she had embraced the pureblood and he was a little worried, so he had given them their private moment and let her hold the vampire, as much as that bothered him. But now…

"Yeah, I'm still here," he finally mumbled, breaking the silence that had fallen over the house.

Kaname almost groaned when Yuuki pulled back, taking all the warmth of the hug with her but leaving just a faint scent of her in his shirt. He was not going to wash it until her scent disappeared completely from it. Was that crazy?

"Sorry," Yuuki apologized, a shy smile and a blush adorning her face.

"It's alright," Kaname smiled, reaching for a small strand of Yuuki's hair and curling I around his finger before letting it fall back in place, earning another little blush from the girl.

"That's it, then," Zero said, trying to avoid another awkward scene, "We'll drive right behind you and wait for you outside the place."

"Yes," Kaname nodded, "We'll be right there if you need us, Yuuki."

"Thank you," Yuuki smiled at them, really appreciating what they were doing but wishing they wouldn't be taking such bother for her sake, after all, she knew well how to defend herself.

"Well, I better go, I have some matters to attend to before leaving tonight," Kaname said, opening the door and stepping outside, "I'll be here at 7, and Yuuki…I think it would be good if you take Artemis with you" She easily carried it under her uniform skirt, she could carry it under whatever she wore tonight and it would be even more reassuring for him, even when he was going to be watching over her himself.

"I will," Yuuki nodded, it was more to reassure the pureblood that she would be alright, but it would actually be a nice idea. You never knew.

"Right, I'll be going now," Kaname bowed his head at them both before walking off. Once he was at a safe distance from the house, he called Seiren and the vampire was suddenly quietly following him. "Have you got the reservations?"

"Yes, Kaname-sama," Seiren answered, her steps making no sound as she followed the pureblood.

"Thank you, Seiren" Kaname smiled, finally reaching the Mood Dorms. "Have the car ready for tonight, and I want you to be the one driving, I might need your assistance." His drivers were excellent, but he much preferred Seiren drive this time, her perfect efficiency would be perfect for tonight. If everything went well, once Yuuki left the restaurant, both he and Zero had to rush back to the car and make it seem like they had been outside all along. Seiren already knew this and she would have everything in order and well planned out, even if things went differently from the original plan.

Kaname entered his room and closed the curtains, making the whole room turn dark. Everyone was asleep right now, and he felt a little tired for being the only one not doing so, but he hadn't been able to sleep lately. Too many things filled his mind when he tried to sleep.

One of them was that just a few days ago, Yuuki had started asking questions about her past.

Kaname knew well this day would come and he feared it, because it wouldn't only bring bad memories back to her, but would definitely change the way she saw him.

She had always thought that the person who had saved her from that Level E years ago had been him, but he hadn't. He had been in his mother's arms that night, oblivious to what was happening outside. He had been just a small child who knew nothing of the outside world.

Yuuki had been brought home that day, all covered in blood and peacefully sleeping in the man's arms. Yuuki's memories had been affected years after that and they would constantly try to resurface, but in the wrong order. Kaname had never saved her from an E, it had been another person, and that person was now dead.

Kaname fetched his phone out of his pocket and quickly scanned the screen until the name he was looking for showed up. He hesitated. It had been months since he last called her, and he wanted so much to visit her, but he had decided some time ago not to get near her for her sake, not until her mind was at complete ease from her loss. He was extremely thankful that Cross took the time to visit her everyday when he couldn't.

He had meant to call her some weeks ago but recent events had prevented him to do so, and now he was excited. He loved talking to her, he always had, and he missed her so terribly much.

Finally, Kaname pressed the call button. It rang a couple of times before a happy female voice chimed at the other end of the line. The voice of Juri Kuran.


	4. Remembering

_Chapters are getting shorter and shorter each time, hahaha._

_Anyways,, here is the fourth chapter now :)! Thank you for your lovely reviews! I hope you're enjoying this story and that my writing is not that confusing _ !  
>Excuse any spelling or grammar mistake that might have escaped my eye . Please let me know if it's not too confusing *still so nervous about this being my first story*<em>

_As always, just reminding you that certain characters might behave just a little differently from the manga, especially maybe Kaname, since he doesn't have the same experiences here as in the manga. This is an AU! The past of some characters will be different. Yuuki's past is completely different and part of it is revealed in this chapter and more details will be coming as the story progresses._

_Thank you again for reading x33!_

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><p>Chapter Four<p>

Kaien Cross was almost never home. He would leave for hours and would almost only talk to his children by phone. Whenever he could, he would spend the whole day with them, take them out on trips, shopping, anything… but he had never brought them here. Not this house. Not yet.

Sometimes he felt really bad for being out of home so much. He really loved spending time with his little Yuuki and Zero and wished he could spend more time with them, maybe cook for them. He had so many ideas for recipes that he wanted to try.

For the past ten years, he hadn't been as close to these two as he would have liked. Of course, he always tried being at the Academy since he needed to keep the place standing and protected. He also tried to be there whenever Zero needed him to talk about certain nature within him. As for little Yuuki, he spent as much time with her as he could. He was really glad that Kaname was always there for her and that Zero had also become close friends with her after some time. They both had cared for her and seen to her needs when he was otherwise busy. Busy trying to save another life.

The woman in front of him now smiled from ear to ear as she chatted on the phone. It had taken Kaien years to bring the smile back to her face, and even now, he could still see in her eyes part of the emptiness that threatened to consume her since the loss of her love, but it was something she could control now.

It had been 10 years since she had lost her husband, but for someone her age, that could as well be considered as just a couple of days ago.

So many purebloods had opted to end their lives after losing their significant other. It was something common with them now, especially with older purebloods who had already lived so much that the death of their loved one was just an excuse to finally escape the crazy, never-changing world they were trapped in for eternity.

After Haruka's death at the hands of Rido, Juri had tried her best to keep standing for her son, but it had only lasted a couple of weeks before the loss and absence of both her brothers started tearing at her heart. It was not only the death of her husband that hurt, but also the betrayal of their brother. She always knew Rido wasn't fond of Haruka, or even her for having chosen Haruka over him, but she never thought he would go so far as to try to kill them all.

Kaien could still remember that desperate voice calling to him on the phone, begging him to take her children and protect them. Juri held onto her son and her little adopted daughter as she quickly explained what was happening and hurried Kaien to come to their home and take them away. It only took him seconds to grab his old hunter equipment, all covered in dust from the years of not being used, and hurrying out of his house towards the Kuran manor.

Kaien and the couple had been very close friends for years, both sides always trying to come up with ideas to spread their message of peace and equality between humans and vampires to all other vampires and hunters.

He loved playing with little Kaname and Yuuki who were always smiling and begging him to play with them while tugging at his coat every time he visited them. Both Juri and Haruka would only smile lovingly at them since their words wouldn't reach the children's ears when it came to leaving the old hunter in peace. Kaien never minded, of course. He loved spending time with them and even considered them like their own children. Kaname, the only biological child of the two people he loved the most, and little innocent Yuuki, the only survivor of the terrible attack to her human home years ago. Both children had held onto their mother, scared and in tears as their home was slowly destroyed by the two purebloods fighting outside the room.

Kaien had reached the Kuran manor just in time to see Haruka's defeated eyes as his body slowly cracked into pieces in front of Rido, who didn't waste a second to give his brother the last blow that would completely turn him into dust.

Kaien's eyes had burned with anger, betrayal and murderous intent as Haruka's remains were scattered around with the wind. The hunter had sworn to himself to never kill another vampire again after retiring from his hunter duties, but the emotions inside of him at the loss of Haruka and the doubt of whether or not Juri and the children were still alive drove him to take his old weapons out, and before he knew it, Rido ashes were mixing with his brother's.

Just in that moment had the hunter looked up to see Kaname and Yuuki standing not too far from there, looking at him with utter horror written all over their eyes. Kaien had gone blind with emotion and acted on hunter instinct, and that had not been a nice sight for two scared and confused children who barely knew what was happening. They had witnessed the man they enjoyed playing with murder his uncle.

Understanding crossed Kaname's eyes after a while, but for quite some time, he had been wary of the old hunter, never talking to him the way he used to anymore, in fact, ever since that night, Kaname became pretty quiet and reserved with everybody, especially after getting all the responsibilities of the new head of the Kuran family at such young age. As for Yuuki, she had become very traumatized and scared of the hunter. She was so young and she never quite understood about her uncle's betrayal. All she knew was that someone she trusted had killed his uncle right in front of her eyes, and now neither her father or uncle would ever come back. For all she knew, Kaien had killed both of them.

Kaien didn't regret killing Rido, though, not after backstabbing his family like that, which only fueled his guilt. What if there had been another way? Had he made the right thing in killing him? How had he been so foolish as to let his emotions rule his actions? Should he regret killing him? Would Juri, Kaname and Yuuki still be alive if he hadn't done what he did? He didn't know, but the terrified looks of Kaname and Yuuki and the broken sob of Juri were enough to make guilt swallow him whole every time he remembered that night, no matter how tragic the results of not having acted at that moment could have been.

"You better bring Kaname with you next time," Juri spoke, bringing Kaien out of his thoughts and back to her. She had just hung up the phone and was swinging on her chair with a childish pout on her face.

"But he refuses to come," Kaien was unable to smile at the beautiful pouting woman in front of him. She had only recently started acting a little as her old self, and that made the old man incredibly happy. It had taken a lot of effort to bring Juri out of the deep corners of depression and he was glad that all those efforts had not been wasted.

"But why? I miss him so much, I want to see him!" Juri sighed, tossing the phone onto the nearest soft surface.

Both of them knew why Kaname had stopped visiting, but they usually avoided talking about it. His last visit had been so long ago, in a moment when Juri was in so much pain, her body screaming to her to drink the blood of someone who was no longer there. The pain and hunger from the broken bond she and Haruka shared was driving her insane, and as Kaname tried to near her she had looked at him with lost, gleaming red eyes, making her think her lost love was the one standing right there, unable to see anything else or listen to Kaname's worried words trying to reach her.

She had lashed at him and sank her fangs into his neck with so much urgency and without control. Her body protesting when the blood didn't match the taste she was looking for, but instead of stopping, she only drank more and more as if expecting that the blood would suddenly turn into what she craved for.

Kaname hadn't fought her and had let her drink as much as she wanted, his thoughts and vision slowly becoming a blur. He was so worried about her. Kaien and him had tried to make her drink blood when the hunger had become obvious in her eyes, but she had refused, and after months and months of intense hunger, she was finally feeding, and Kaname was not going to stop her.

By the time Juri realized whose blood she was drinking from, Kaname had long ago lost consciousness. If Kaien hadn't arrived at that moment, who knows what Juri would have done with that level of guilt eating at her. She honestly though she had killed her son and it took some hours until finally Kaien convinced her that Kaname was still very much alive, but would need some days to recover.

Kaname had woken up some days after the incident, assuring his mother that there was nothing to apologize for and that he didn't mind at all. After all, his blood had helped Juri recover some of her lost sanity and she looked so much better now that she had some color back in her skin.

But with the worry of whether or not she had killed her son gone, the pain of Haruka's death hit her back full force. Kaname would often catch her looking at him with that same empty stare that told him she was not really looking at him, but Haruka. Kaname could very well see the pain in her eyes as her mind tried to replace Kaname's image with her husband's. Their blood was not the same, but was similar enough to make her body want to get as much as she could from that nectar that was so similar to the one she really needed. Her broken heart wanting to grab onto whatever little part Haruka had left behind.

To avoid filling her mother with more unnecessary guilt, Kaname had stopped visiting, only calling her as much as he could for a while until his pureblood duties and the responsibility of taking care of Yuuki started taking all his time.

Kaname trusted Cross to keep her safe, he knew very well how he felt about his parents, and that reassured him that he would take good care of her while he was gone.

After some time, a little fear inside Kaname's head prevented him from visiting her again. The fear that his mother would never see him as what he was again, that she would still see him as someone else. Kaien would always tell him she was better and that she could see everything more clearly now, but that fear inside Kaname still tugged at him, making him unsure and afraid.

It wasn't the only reason, though. Juri had always been someone who brought peace and confidence to Kaname, someone who would fill him with motherly love and that would whisper reassuring words to him when he was scared. After that night, all of that had disappeared. Kaname had still been young and seeing his mother slowly break apart had been a huge deal to him. Right when he had been so terrified of everything, the person that would normally bring calm to him was now so lost that she couldn't even look at him without tears in her eyes.

Holding his broken mother when he so very needed her to hold him instead had changed him and had forced him to make a decision. If he wanted to keep his beloved family safe, he needed to swallow his own pain and confusion and grow up. He needed to stop waiting for someone to tell him what to do next, he needed to stop waiting for gentle arms to cradle him into safety, and with the rest of the vampire society trying to take advantage of their current weakness, he needed to become as powerful as he could to be able to fight away all those who dared go near his family.

"I'll talk to him," Kaien promised her, "He misses you terribly, it won't be long until he finally comes, really."

Juri nodded and then frowned. "What about Yuuki?" she asked. She was aware Yuuki had lost her memories so she wouldn't even know who she was, but she hadn't seen her in ten years and she missed her so terribly much. She was tired of just seeing pictures of her, she wanted to see her in person, see how much she had grown…

"I can bring her," Kaien said as he held the woman's hand, "but you know she doesn't remember anything."

"I just want to see her," Juri whispered, looking at him with hope. Yuuki wasn't her child, but ever since Kaien and Haruka had brought her home so many years ago, wrapped in torn blankets and blood, her eyes scared and her begging arms waving around, looking for someone to hold her, Juri had sworn to take care of her as her own, and not being able to see your child for so long hurt.

"I'll see when I can bring her," the blond man said, knowing well how Juri longed to see her little girl.

"Thank you," Juri smiled, reaching for the man to give him a kiss on the cheek.

=o=

"_Who is she?"_

"_Her parents were murdered and she needs a new family to take care of her."_

"_Are we going to adopt her?"_

"_Yes, she's your little sister now."_

"_What's her name?"_

"_Her name's Yuuki."_

_Yuuki…_

Kaname blinked his eyes open, a soft smile playing on his lips. It was almost time for his 'mission' and he was glad he had been able to sleep for a while. Calling his mother and knowing she was so much better now had given him some peace and that had let him nap for some hours.

Right after taking a shower, Seiren came in to announce that a car had been spotted at the gates and the driver had claimed that he was here to pick Yuuki Cross.

The pureblood glanced at the clock. So the car had arrived two hours earlier, good. That gave him time to interrogate him before leaving.

=o=

"What do you mean you already know who he is?" Zero hissed. He couldn't believe it! He had just called the Chairman to let him know he had forgotten his keys and would leave spare ones hidden outside since he would be out until late taking care of Yuuki, and the man had only giggled and told him not to worry so much, that he knew the guy and Yuuki was perfectly safe.

Zero had resisted the urge to say certain words that would only earn him a long lecture from the old man. Kaname and him had been panicking all month trying to find whoever was after Yuuki's heart, all while the chairman only laughed at them because he already knew who the guy was. No wonder he was so calm about it!

"Alright, I…" Zero sighed audibly, trying to keep his frustration down, "Just tell me who he is." He finally said, he could argue the reason why he hadn't told them before about this later. Right now, he just wanted to know who this damn secret admirer was.

"Zero, just keep calm and don't make Yuuki feel uncomfortable" Kaien said, calmly but with a hint of amusement in his voice. He had his reasons why he hadn't told them about the identity of the man, and that same reason kept him from revealing the man's identity yet. "He is a good guy, a little spoiled maybe, but he has a good heart and honest intentions, so please don't get so worked up about it. Still, keep an eye on them for any suspiciously naughty hands, alright?"

Before Zero could reply to that, Kaien cut the communication with a 'Buh-bye! See you tonight!' leaving Zero with a bunch of frustration about to leave his mouth in the form of bad, bad words.

He didn't waste a heartbeat. He quickly called the pureblood to inform him about his newly acquired information. _Oh, that old man was so going to pay for this when he came back._

As soon as the pureblood picked up, the hunter told him about his recent talk with the chairman, and couldn't help but to smile grimly at the sound of glass breaking on the other side of the line.


	5. Date

_Ahh! Sorry if this chapter seems a little bit...rushed (?)... I'm just not really good yet at describing what I picture in my mind D: Sorry! But I'm reading even more than usual, trying to see if I learn from that xD!_

_I know a lot of you already know who the 'secret admirer' is, and this chapter kinda makes it a little more obvious xD_

__Thanks for the support, guys :3 I appreciate it!  
>Hope you like this chapter! A short one again ^^; Makes me wonder, do you guys prefer longer chapters, or is this length alright? I would appreciate it if you tell me ;A;<em>_

__Thank you again and...enjoy :3__

* * *

><p>Chapter Five<p>

"Quick, get in the car!" Zero hurried the pureblood after watching Yuuki, who looked absolutely breathtaking beautiful in that dress, nervously step into the waiting car.

Both Zero and Kaname were pretty frustrated tonight. Not only had Kaien made fun of them for quite a while on the phone, and during the whole past month, but they had gotten nothing out of the driver that came to pick the girl up, who, by the way, was completely human and had only been hired to get the girl to her destination, and also refused to reveal any information about his clients.

The time for Yuuki's date had come too fast and hadn't let either vampire work something out, but now, finally, all this would end. Or begin. It all depended on who this 'admirer' resulted to be.

Serien closed the car door behind Kaname and hurried into the driver's seat. Soon, they were quietly following Yuuki, who until now, seemed still perfectly safe.

"Where are the suits?" Zero asked, looking out the window, not wanting to lose sight of the car in front of them.

"Right here," Kaname replied, gesturing to a pair of suits, both carefully covered with the same black bag lying on the seat next to him.

The hunter eyed them and frowned. He still didn't know what Kaname had gotten him, but he was pretty sure it was just something normal and he was playing with his head. And it was working. _Damn vampire._

"Right after Yuuki enters the place, we will quickly change and get inside that restaurant," Kaname explained. They had to dress _after _Yuuki was inside the restaurant, otherwise she would suspect seeing them nicely dressed when they were supposed to just wait outside. Well, she would suspect of Zero, actually. The hunter never wore anything formal and it would be pretty obvious if she saw him wearing a suit just to 'wait for her'.

Yuuki had said that, once she was in the place, if she was sure everything would be alright, she would call them so they could go back to the academy. Meaning, if she knew who the person was and was sure nothing would go wrong, she would call them to let them know they would leave and stop worrying.

Not gonna happen.

"What if he's human?" Zero wondered, his eyes still glued to the car ahead of them. He had still been thinking about it. If this guy resulted to be a human, they would have no choice but to just let go of her. This was what she deserved, a normal, happy life, with no blood or the dangers of a vampire life.

Kaname knew this, too. This was Yuuki's chance to follow a safer path, and he had no right of stopping anything that might come out of this, if this person was a human anyway.

"I'd let her go," the pureblood replied, his gaze meeting the hunter's as he finally turned to him. They both had sworn to themselves to protect their beloved Yuuki, and they would continue to do it for the rest of her life, and that meant accepting whatever was best for her, even if that left them behind.

Zero looked away and back to the car outside. "Yeah."

* * *

><p>He looked at himself in the mirror. His clear eyes screamed nervous and pretty much his whole body did the same.<p>

This was something extremely dangerous that could end up with him dead. But he hadn't meant all this to get so far! Really!

He had only wanted to know the reason why the pureblood seemed so interested in her. He had followed her, talked to her and watched her from afar, and before he knew it, he had fallen for her himself.

Of course, nobody ever wooed the romantic interest of a pureblood and lived to tell, and he was pretty sure nothing good would come out of this, but he hadn't been able to stop it!

He had only wanted to give the girl a little gift, so that she could have something from him even without knowing who he was, and then let everything go back to normal. But seeing the blush on her face the next day when she was talking about the unexpected gift she had received, he had been amazed. He had wanted to see that blush on her face again, and so he had gone and sent her another gift, carefully hiding any trace of him to avoid the pureblood catching him.

He had known the girl for some years already, but he had never bothered to really pay attention to her. He could really see why Kaname was so protective of her, and she was definitely worth the risk. But it was enough.

He had asked her to meet him just to end all this. He would reveal his identity and let her go. He would not risk getting caught by the pureblood and the hunter, but he would still give Yuuki the chance to choose him if she liked. _Yeah, as if she would choose him over Kaname._

He sighed. There was no chance she would choose him, but he was still going to try. That wouldn't hurt anybody, right? He just hoped Kaname wouldn't kill him before even giving him a chance to talk to her. The fact that the pureblood had skipped classes, stopped sleeping well and even cleared his work schedule for the whole week because of this…meant sure death for him. He didn't doubt there would be someone watching over them tonight, ready to inform Kaname of his acts, and that is why he was so nervous. These could be the last minutes of his life, but…they would be worth it.

The noble smiled. Yeah.

* * *

><p>The car finally stopped in front of the crowded restaurant and Yuuki stepped out before the driver could open the door for her. She walked towards the car behind her and knocked on the window.<p>

Zero stepped out of the car and looked down at her. _God, she looked beautiful in that dress. _

"Are you ready?" Zero asked, his brotherly side taking over his tone, which made the girl smile.

"I guess," she chuckled "I'm just nervous."

"Don't worry, we'll be right here if you need us," the hunter assured her, raising his hand to touch her hair but quickly putting it back down and resting his body against the car, giving a little more distance between the two. Nope.

"Excuse me, miss," the old human driver called, "I must escort you to the entrance. If you would please follow me."

"Oh, um, yeah!" Yuuki quickly glanced at both men, now standing next to each other, and nodded a little nervously. "Um, I'll call you once I know who he is and…thank you, again, for doing this." She smiled at them and turned away, following the other man into the crowd.

Zero and Kaname stared after her until she was out of sight and quickly rushed back into the car.

"Here, put this on, quickly" Kaname said, pulling both suits out of the bag and handing one of them to the hunter.

"I knew it!" Zero exclaimed, holding a perfectly normal black suit with a white shirt and a tie. "Did you really have to make it look as if I was going to wear a clown's suit or something?" he hissed, quickly pulling his shirt off.

"Yep," Kaname replied, grinning victoriously as he slid his coat over his shirt. He was pretty much always dressed nicely so Yuuki hadn't suspected anything, and now he only had to put on his coat and tie, while the hunter had to change completely.

"Idiot," the hunter glared, getting the white shirt on and buttoning it as fast as he could. Once that was done, he unbuttoned his jeans and…stopped. He looked up at the pureblood who was staring at him in a way that made the hunter feel _very_ uncomfortable. Kaname had finished getting ready and his gaze had fallen on the hunter's hands while he was buttoning his shirt, and they had followed said hands down to his jeans button…

"Looking for something?" Zero scowled, snapping the pureblood's gaze back to his face. "Get out of the car!"

"What? Are you ashamed of changing in front of me?" Kaname asked as he turned away, successfully concealing his embarrassment at having been caught staring at him like that.

"I'm not ashamed, I'm annoyed by your constant staring, you pervert," Zero said, quickly pulling off his jeans and getting into the elegant pair of black trousers.

The car had an ample space, but was still not enough and he had to be very careful not to even brush against the vampire as he changed, but he was quick, and he soon was ready to go.

Kaname had kept staring out the window, avoiding looking at Zero, clearly reflected on the window in front of him.

"There, let's go," Zero huffed, finally getting the tie in place and reaching for the door.

"Wait!" Kaname exclaimed, pulling the hunter's arm back with one hand and holding a black hairy mess with the other.

"What the hell is this?" Zero frowned as the pureblood handed the ball of hair to him. He held it in disgust, trying to figure out what it was.

"It's a wig" Kaname explained, "Your hair stands out too much, Yuuki will surely spot you if you go normally like that. Now, put it on."

"I'm not wearing a wig," Zero complained, "Isn't there a hat or something?"

"Just put it on, Zero! Yuuki is in there right now with who knows who and we need to hurry if we want to keep her safe" Kaname hurried him, taking the wig back from him "I'll put it on for you if you don't know how."

"No, thanks, I can do it myself," Zero said, yanking the hairy wig back from him, not missing the fact the pureblood had just called him by name. _Geez, what's with the bloodsucker getting all familiar with him? _

The hunter did his best to fit the wig on his head without letting any of his white locks out, but it was harder than he thought. He had to put on the wig cap before and it was proving hard to keep all of his hair completely concealed, especially the ones on the back of his neck.

"This is ridiculous!" Zero scowled, looking at his bald-looking reflection on the window.

Kaname pressed his lips together, trying his best not to laugh. If he laughed, the hunter would just take it off and completely refuse to wear it now. His silver hair was not that common around here and Yuuki would surely spot it even in the middle of so many people. He had to wear it.

"Wait, don't move," Kaname said, reaching for the hunter's head and carefully slipping a couple of rebel strands of hair inside the wig cap.

Zero shuddered, feeling extremely stupid now. The damn pureblood always had to find every possible way to make him feel uncomfortable. If Ichiru found out about this he would make fun of him for life.

"There," the pureblood slid the wig over his head and carefully combed the black hair with his fingers. It looked natural, he had made sure it looked so, and it was so strange to change the hunter's hair color, it made him look really different and…somehow wrong. He looked good, of course, but he looked better with his natural silver color. Much better.

"I feel stupid" Zero groaned, watching his new image on the window's reflection.

"No time to feel stupid, we have work to do," Kaname said, sliding out of the car, followed by a reluctant Zero. "Come on! Hurry."

"I'm going, I'm going!" Zero groaned, walking next to the vampire and into the restaurant's lobby.

The place looked even bigger from the inside and everything was so perfectly crafted. The walls, the floor, the brilliant decorations… The hunter felt really out of place in here, wearing a boring black suit and a silly wig and standing right next to the good-looking vampire who seemed pretty calm. Of course, the pureblood was in his natural habitat, surrounded by all these posh accommodations.

"Act natural," Kaname whispered to him, both now following the hostess to their table.

Both scanned the tables as they walked through the place, soon catching sight of Yuuki, sitting practically at the other side of the restaurant. Alone.

"That damn bastard isn't here yet!" Zero hissed, keeping his voice down, only letting Kaname hear him.

"Guess not" Kaname replied, respectfully thanking the hostess as they were seated and given their menus. The young girl introduced herself as she welcomed them to the place and Kaname smiled at her, half listening to what she was saying while Zero completely ignored her, looking right at Yuuki's far table.

Zero kept looking around, searching for any figure that could be approaching Yuuki's table. Once the hostess left, he turned to the pureblood, still scowling.

"What if he just leaves her here alone?" he fumed.

"We have to wait until he arrives or until she calls us," Kaname said, keeping his calm and trying to find any familiar presence in the big room. "Just try to act normal, you'll attract attention if you keep killing everyone with your eyes like that."

Zero glared but complied. He took his menu from the table and opened it, not really looking at it, just wanting something to do. He wasn't going to order anything, he was here only to keep check on Yuuki, and he wasn't hungry anyway.

"I ordered some wine," the pureblood spoke, also looking at his menu while darting glances to the far table. It was lucky that Yuuki was seating with her back to them, it would make it easier to avoid her and to look straight at the guy's face when he arrived.

"Uh huh," Zero nodded absentmindedly, his eyes glued to Yuuki again. He wished he could know what she was thinking, and really hoped this guy would arrive soon. He didn't want Yuuki to feel as if she was just being played with. _Damn idiot, why was he taking so long?_

This time, a different hostess arrived and carefully placed the bottle of red wine and two already filled cups on the table before leaving again.

Kaname discretely poured a couple of blood tablets into the wine before taking a sip. Zero looked at him, his usual frown in place. The smell of blood tablets and wine made his nose wrinkle a little and also triggered his thirst, but luckily, not enough to make his eyes change.

He hadn't had any blood for quite a while and just realizing that made his throat burn.

If Yuuki began something with someone right now, especially a human, he wouldn't be able to drink her blood anymore. It would be too suspicious and it would be scandalous if this man was a human and one day discovered him biting Yuuki's neck.

He needed to find another blood source, but…how?

Shizuka was dead now and he hadn't been able to drink from her, and his descent to E was quickly approaching. Maybe coming to a place filled with people in this state hadn't been a good idea after all.

"It can't be…" Kaname whispered, holding his cup and staring blankly at the distance.

Zero quickly turned to Yuuki's table.

He had arrived. And the hunter couldn't believe who was taking the seat in front of Yuuki.

_What the hell._


	6. Aidou

_Finally! umm, first of all, sorry for all the confusion with the honorifics. Yes, I'm using them, but for some reason, only on dialogs...I could explain it to you, guys, the way my mind works, but you wouldn't understand a thing xDD Anyway, from now on, I'll make my best to improve my writing and to pay more attention to little details that might result confusing ... kay xD?_

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments 3333! Never thought I would actually get any xDD I love you guys! I hope I don't disappoint you! And that this chapter isn't too confusing xD

* * *

><p>Chapter Six<p>

_Why is he talking to her?_

Kaname Kuran had once again ignored everything around him, especially certain blond vampire who had been trying to get his attention for quite a while now, just to go and talk to the human girl who was now excitedly chatting with said pureblood right outside the Moon Dorms.

Hanabusa Aidou frowned as he tried to keep his frustration well hidden. He would get in so much trouble if the young girl suddenly froze right in the middle of a conversation with the pureblood. He paced around the room, wondering. _What does he see in her? What is so special about her that makes his eyes shine with happiness every time he sees her? _ _Could she probably be…._

Aidou quickly ran to his closet and pulled out a heavy box. He kneeled on the floor and pulled the lid open. Books and newspapers were shoved aside until he found what he was looking for: His notes on the Kuran's family past. _Not obsessed at all, nope._

The Kuran family…well, everyone knew about them , obviously, but there were parts of their past that no one knew about or dared to ask about, especially after that tragic night. But before Haruka Kuran's death, there had been a scandal. The Kuran couple had apparently adopted an orphaned human child and they had asked everyone to treat the child as if she were one of them.

Very few got to see the child, though, and those few never talked about it at all. They all thought what they were doing made no sense and that they were just insulting the whole vampire race by treating a human as one of their own.

Shortly after Haruka's death, the child was declared dead, and so rumors went that they had used the child as a blood source for them, which had eventually turned the child into a Level E and caused its death. No one dared to ask and after some months, the rumors died out and the Kuran family was left alone.

Kaname had stuck with the same version. He would claim that the child had died during the attack and then he would leave the place, not giving anyone the chance to ask anything else. It was evident in his face that it pained him to talk about it.

And that had been a message for them to stop prying on his family's personal lives, and everyone had complied with that, except Aidou.

He wanted to know what had happened, why his eyes became so haunted every time someone asked about the child, he wanted to help, and so he had gone out there and started digging up information.

And as he looked through the pages of his research…suddenly a new thought came to his mind. _No, it can't be!_

Yuuki Cross had been adopted by the Chairman mere days after the Kuran manor was attacked and Kaname had seemed too protective of her from the very first day she had arrived…but she couldn't be the child, could she?

Yuuki was saved by Kaname when she was little and the Chairman took her as his daughter. That was it, that is what everyone knew. But…if Yuuki was the human child, why didn't she remember about it? Was she hiding it? And if Yuuki were in fact that child, why did Kaname look so sad when talking about it?

No, she couldn't be…and yet…

…_._

_Aidou-senpai?_

_Hellooo?_

Aidou jumped back, startled, as Yuuki snapped her fingers right in front of his face.

"Are you okay?" Yuuki asked, worried.

"…Yes" Aidou replied, shoving his memories aside and giving the girl one of his famous charming smiles "You're worried about me! How cute!"

Yuuki scowled and flipped her phone open. "Geez, I can't believe it's you! What kind of game are you playing?"

"Game?" Aidou looked at her, not really surprised that she wasn't taking this seriously "It's not a game, Yuuki-chan…what are you doing?"

"I'm just sending a message to Zero" she said, typing on the small phone with both her thumbs "He's going to make fun of this for the rest of his life" she moaned.

"Should I take your tone of voice as a rejection?" Aidou asked, using a playful smile on his lips to hide his fear, his nervousness… "Because, really, I wouldn't risk my life like this if I were just playing…Kaname-sama would have my head in a stick if I do something to you."

Yuuki looked at him with a little blush on her cheeks. She didn't need anybody reminding her of how protective Kaname had become of her lately. But he was right, though. She has also always seen Aidou as one of the most loyal people to Kaname, he would definitely not do something like this without a good reason.

"You sent me all those gifts? You..sent me this dress?" she asked, her typing ceasing.

"Yes, I did" Aidou replied, smiling softly at her "And may I say something I never thought I would say to you… you look beautiful."

"Aidou-senpai…hearing those words coming out of your mouth is kind of creeping me out" Yuuki said, turning back to her cell phone to hide her tingling cheeks, erasing her message and starting again.

"You're hurting my feelings, Yuuki-chan" the noble grinned.

"Your feelings? You're about to hurt mine…" she said, hitting the send button and flipping her phone shut. She looked into the noble's eyes and bit her lip, trying to come up with the right words. "I need to know, Aidou-senpai…why are you doing this?"

Aidou looked at her. _Why was he doing this? _That was a very good question. He liked her…after having studied her for months and finally discovering her past he had developed a pretty strong need to take care of her, to hold her…

"I sent you letters…everything that I wrote on them is true," he said, slowly tracing her fine facial features with his eyes. He suddenly wondered how she would react if she knew her past…if she knew what she is…

Yuuki looked at the noble. This didn't make any sense! Last time she checked, she had been pretty sure Aidou didn't like her that much, and now he was claiming that…that all those words in those beautiful letters she had received are his? His eyes looked honest but…she just couldn't take all this seriously, not after all that time watching Aidou's flirting and playfulness towards the whole female Day Class.

"Before you say anything, though, I…I don't intend to get anything out of this," Aidou confessed. "I think you've already noticed, you are very dear to Kaname-sama and he would never let me near you as something else than a friend, but…I just wanted to let you know…about certain things…"

_Certain things_. Yuuki was sure at that moment he wasn't just talking about his feelings. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes, I did."

-o-

"_You must never tell Kaname-sama or anyone else about this" Aidou said as he carefully held Yuuki's blood samples between his hands._

_If his suspicions were true, then he had to warn her about what might happen in the future…he was not going to let her live in darkness anymore. He wasn't sure why Kaname was hiding his knowledge about this, but before he said something, he was going to make sure he was right, or else he could just end up in a very awkward situation with everyone. _

"_I won't tell anyone" Yuuki said, nervously looking around "I just want to know about my past…I can keep the secret as long as you keep your promise and tell me everything you find"_

"_I will" Aidou nodded before leaving the place. "Take care…"_

-o-

"I don't know if I should tell you," Aidou said, "I want to, it is a very serious matter that you must definitely know…but I don't think I should be the one to tell you."

"If not you, then who is the one who has to tell me?" Yuuki questioned him, suddenly starting to feel a little cold. The place was definitely getting colder by the second.

"Kaname-sama," the noble answered, "He knows everything about you, and I am sure there is a good reason he hasn't told you about it yet, and I can't tell you in fear I might make matters worse."

"Worse…?" Yuuki looked at the noble nervously. What could be so bad about her that Kaname has to hide it from her? What if it was something so terrible she couldn't handle?

It was her past. She had the right to know, she wanted to know…if it was something bad…then she would face it.

"I…I was even going to talk to Kaname-sama before talking to you, but…" Aidou smiled softly as he looked at her soft brown eyes, "I want you to know that I really…have something for you" Not love, it wasn't that, he wasn't going to let it be that. He had no future with her, so why would he let it become something so big…?

Yuuki's cheeks turned pink. But…Aidou? She was still trying to process that her dear secret admirer was right in front of her. How could it be him? How could he have eluded both Kaname and Zero for so long? How could he have given her all those gifts and letters right in front of them both?

"But…how did you do it? I mean, Kaname-senpai and Zero…how did they not figure out that it was you?" Yuuki asked, her eyes shining with interest now.

Aidou chuckled at the change of subject. "It was not easy at all!" he grinned, "It took my whole genius to figure out ways of not getting caught by those two! That and I also had to ask for the Chairman's help and…"

"Wait, the Chairman _knew _it was you?" Yuuki's eyes widened in surprise. No wonder he was so calm about this! She should have known better…

"Um, yeah, if it weren't for him I would probably have gotten caught right at the start of everything," Aidou admitted. He had asked for his help after almost getting caught by Seiren one time. The happy man had agreed only because he had seen a big chance to expand his peace ideas to certain hunter, who apparently had left all his hatred for the vampire race aside to protect Yuuki.

"But he spends a lot of time outside of home, how did he help you?" Yuuki wondered. Her adoptive father's constant absence was something she had lived with since she had arrived, so it was strange knowing he had somehow been able to help Aidou hide his identity while still being away. Well, he had raised her and helped Zero through difficult times while still leaving every few hours, so it shouldn't really surprise her. Sometimes she wondered if he could teleport or something.

"I really am not sure…he just told me to leave it all to him and…it worked, so I didn't question it much" he smiled, "Yuuki Cross…I don't care if you don't take any of this seriously, you know, I just needed to tell you…those gifts, those flowers, I didn't really mean to send so many, but I just couldn't help myself."

The young girl quickly ducked her head to hide the embarrassment on her face. She wasn't used to these kind of words and she was blushing too much. He was the one who, for some reason, felt something for her, he should be the one blushing here.

"I bet Kaname-sama will know it's been me all along as soon as you step out of this place and I will get punished," Aidou chuckled. He didn't really care right now, though.

He had admired the pureblood for years and had even confessed his love for him at an inappropriate moment during his father's funeral. He had been rejected right away and even if it had hurt him, he had still followed him in every way. All those years looking up to him, wanting only to please him, and this girl had changed everything in just a few weeks.

The noble smiled. He could definitely see what the pureblood saw in her now.

"Don't worry, Aidou-senpai, I won't let him punish you for this," Yuuki promised, smiling kindly at him.

"Stop it!" Zero hissed, turning back to Yuuki's table to check everything was still in order before going back to glaring at the pureblood in front of him. "You're going to get us in trouble."

"I'm not doing anything," Kaname growled, his gaze looking for a way to stab the noble, maybe explode his head…

"The whole place is freezing, Kuran, stop it now" Zero ordered, taking the heavy bottle of wine and smashing the pureblood's fingers with it, which now were threatening on crushing the table.

"Hey!" Kaname looked back at the hunter, drawing back his hand. It didn't hurt but it was still annoying.

"You better calm down, vampire," Zero warned, "I have authorization to shoot any vampire that may seem out of control, I don't care if you're a pureblood or not."

The pureblood scoffed and sat back on his seat. He was too angry and confused right now, and his perfect control was somehow slipping away, he had to calm down, but he couldn't do that knowing what Aidou was doing now…and what he had been doing the whole month. What did he want with Yuuki? Why had he gone through all the whole admirer thing? What for? Was he serious? He had to be, or else he was a dead man.

"Hey, we're probably both thinking of the same thing, but you have to keep it down," Zero whispered, "we shouldn't even be here, remember? Now look at this"

The hunter handed his phone to the pureblood with Yuuki's message still on the screen.

'Everything's OK! I know him. Go back to the Academy. Will be home later. Don't worry!'

"Damn right she knows him," Kaname growled, tossing the phone back to Zero. "I'm not leaving."

"I'm not leaving, either. That guy once took her blood, I'm not leaving them alone," Zero hissed, "but I'm also not letting Yuuki know we are here, she will get mad and then she won't tell us anything."

"Do you think…" Kaname pressed his lips together as he rested his gaze once again on the far couple. They were both talking in hushed voices, he tried listening to their conversation, but there was something blocking him…probably one of Aidou's ideas.

"What?" the hunter asked, absentmindedly taking little sips of his wine.

Kaname turned back to the ex-human, this time his voice a little more hushed than before, not that he needed to, no one could hear them anyway, but the doubt was making his throat tighten.

"Do you think that…maybe…Aidou really feels something for her?" he asked.

Both vampires stared at each other for a while before letting out a chuckle. Nope, impossible.


	7. Outside

_First of all...I changed my username! Thought you guys should know xD! I am now Esukii, a little easier for some than my whole last name xD_

_Now, it will take me a while to get the next chapter up, you know, Christmas and all, so I will take the chance now to wish you all a very happy holiday season :D! _

_Life has not being very nice lately, but one should always still keep their head up, right :D!_

_I hope everyone has some great holidays! Enjoy your time with your family, cherish every single moment, never give up~~! 33  
>Thank you for all the support, guys! 333 !<em>

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven<p>

"I have to go," Chairman Cross said as he reluctantly got up from the warm, comfortable couch. "Remember about the whole Aidou thing I talked to you about? I need to get there before Kaname smashes poor Aidou's head."

"Can I come?" the pureblood girl asked, jumping off the chair excitedly. It had been so long since she had gone outside the manor, and she was tired of being locked up. She wanted to go out, she wanted to see her children, she wanted to see how the world had changed during these years. "You know I'm in control now, and I just really want to see them."

Kaien watched her always-effective pleading puppy eyes looking at him with hope. He also wanted to take her out and show her the whole changed town. How things could change in so little time! But he wasn't sure if this exact time was the right one.

"Juri, you know I would love to take you out of this house, but-"

"Please!" Juri begged, "I'll help you with Kaname! If he is as unsettled by this as you say he is, then I may be able to…you know, take his mind off it for a while."

Well, that was true. Kaname wouldn't expect his mother suddenly turning up. Maybe this could give poor Aidou enough time to take Yuuki home and then plan his 'Please, don't kill me' speech.

"Are you sure of this?" Kaien asked. He knew Kaname had developed a small trauma from all the things that had happened in the early years after his father's death. Being the Kuran head, he had learned to hide it very well, but he feared seeing his mother without warning could get him nervous or reawaken certain bits of his past that he had decided to keep buried inside his mind. Juri's attack was not what had affected him most, though; it had been what happened after he woke up that had marked him forever.

Juri didn't know about what had happened. Kaname had made Kaien promise he wouldn't tell anyone. He said he would tell them all himself, but before that, he had to tell Yuuki first and survive her reaction.

Kaien sighed. He knew the time when he had to tell the truth to everyone was nearing, and, oddly enough, he was worried about Zero.

He was sure Yuuki will be shocked, but her kind nature would never let her hate Kaname or vampires for what he had done, but Zero… the hunter was finally trying to see that not all vampires were bad, but when he learned about this, he would most likely go back to hating all vampire race in the worst manner yet.

Juri was still looking at the hunter, eagerly awaiting his answer and ready to keep trying to convince him if he said no, but to her surprise, the old hunter just smiled and nodded.

"Alright, then, let's go!" he announced, grabbing his coat and sliding it on. Well, then, if things were about to get ugly, might as well make the most of the happy time left.

A huge smile spread across Juri's face and she gave Kaien a tight hug before rushing to her room to grab her coat.

She was finally going to see his Kaname and her little Yuuki! She was finally stepping out of the mansion after almost ten years!

Kaien opened the door and watched around, making sure there was no one around. Everyone was aware of Juri's current situation, they all knew she was still recovering from a lot of things and that she was not in her best condition to protect herself. Well, that's what they all thought; they didn't know her at all. She would probably rip their heads off if they dared go near the manor and take advantage of her 'weakness', fragile condition or not, but still, Kaien didn't want to risk it, so he had announced himself as her guardian some years ago.

There had been times when he had found vampires roaming around the manor's gardens, and he had easily scared them off, but one still couldn't be too careful.

"I'm ready!" Juri announced excitedly as she walked towards the door. It had been so long…

Kaien turned to the pureblood and saw her tensing up. She stopped right at the door and looked outside. She had gone out to the gardens before, she had also walked out to the gates and had looked out for hours, waving at the small animals that walked by the gates. But now she was going outside outside, and that suddenly made her nervous, and she had no idea why.

"It's okay, come" Kaien said, smiling gently at her and holding his hand out to her.

Juri took a deep breath and smiled, determined. She took Kaien's hand and they both headed to the garage and into the car.

-o-

"I'm not coming to a public place with you ever again!" Zero declared as he shoved the black wig off his head and shuffled his hair with both hands, trying to get it back to its normal messiness.

Kaname grumbled as he walked towards the car, where Seiren was respectfully waiting for them.

Kaname had become determined to let Aidou know he was there, releasing his terrifying pureblood aura all around the place. Humans had become agitated and panicked, some of them had come close to having a stroke and others had been too affected and had started to scream and get into really bad moods.

Aidou, of course, had noticed them right away, and Zero was sure he had known they were there ever since he stepped into the place, so the whole mess Kaname had caused hadn't been necessary. He was just glad Aidou had kept Yuuki distracted and she hadn't noticed them, but she had become very scared, which had been the only thing that had made Kaname stop.

Right after that he just got up, tossed money on the table and left, leaving a very ticked off Zero and a very confused waitress.

"I just really really want to shoot you right now!" Zero growled, throwing the wig towards the pureblood.

"I can't let him get near her again!" Kaname declared, catching the wig and tossing it to the floor. "I'm going to kill him!"

Kaname was confused, angry…and he felt betrayed. How could Aidou be doing this? He knew what Yuuki meant to him, why then, was he doing this? Hadn't he declared his love and loyalty to him some years ago? Where had that gone? Was he planning something? Does he really feel something for Yuuki and really cares about her? Because, either way, it didn't matter, he was a dead man.

The pureblood reached the car and almost couldn't resist the urge to kick it and send it flying away. He really needed to punch something. He was about to yank the door open when he felt something sharp pressing against his back. A gun.

Zero had neared the pureblood enough to get the Bloody Rose gun out and press it against the pureblood's back, but still hiding it from sight inside his coat, which meant he was really near the pureblood, but right now, his hunter duties were more important than how close to the vampire he was.

"Calm down, vampire, or I'll shoot you, and it may not kill you, but I'm sure it will hurt like hell," the hunter hissed, Kaname's angry aura also affecting him. He was aware of Seiren's hand at the back of his neck, ready to attack him if he dared hurt her master.

Kaname chuckled as he slightly raised both hands, getting his control back and returning the calm to the air. He felt the hunter relax and get the gun away from him, Seiren suddenly at his side, still ready to attack if necessary.

"I'm okay, I'm okay now" Kaname sighed. When it came to Yuuki, his control could slip away so easily.

"Yeah, you better be" Zero grumbled, stepping back from the vampire, gun already safely tucked in the holster hidden under his coat.

Kaname rested his body against the car while Zero kept his stance in front of him. The air was cold and several minutes passed before Zero cleared his throat and walked to the other side of the car and got in.

"Gotta change back before Yuuki sees me like this" he said before pulling the car door closed.

Kaname turned towards the restaurant. He looked to Seiren and ordered her to keep a watch on Aidou and Yuuki before joining the hunter inside the car, leaving the door open and letting some of the cool breeze inside.

Zero was already back in his jeans and shirt, his arms crossed and his mind trying to process what had just happened inside the place.

Neither of them said a word until, after a long while, Kaname suddenly closed the door and locked it.

"What is it?" Zero asked, noticing the pureblood looking around, his eyes nervous.

"I feel…something" the pureblood whispered, looking out the window as if searching for something.

"Has something happened? Is Yuuki alright?" the hunter asked, looking out the window trying to see whatever the pureblood was talking about.

"No, she's alright, this is…different" Kaname said, "I…I think my mother is here."

Zero frowned. "Your mother?"

Juri Kuran. He had heard about her. Over 3000 years old, very powerful and feared by some hunters, although still described as insane by said hunters. He had never met her even if Kaien had become her guardian some years ago, which had unsettled him pretty much at the moment. Now, he just went with it. The guy was out of his mind already anyway.

He had heard from the hunters that she had become insane after the death of her husband and that she had been locked up in the manor to protect everyone from her never ending hunger. They said he had also almost killed Kaname once and a small human child, and she was considered extremely dangerous now.

Kaien, of course, had told him not to believe the stories the Hunter Association came up with. Sometimes Kaien had come home with a couple of scratches and bite marks on his neck, but he never talked about it, which Zero only took as proof that the hunters were telling the truth.

"She is dangerous, if she's here we've got to stop her!" Zero said, reaching for his gun.

Kaname grabbed the hunter by the arm. "Don't you dare go near her with that thing" he warned.

Zero glared at him and yanked his arm free. "I will use it if I think it necessary," he said and stepped out of the car. He could sense the presence of Kaien and a pureblood getting nearer and nearer. He kept his hand on the gun, ready to pull it out if anything happened.

Kaname got out of the car, looking at the hunter.

"You won't be needing that, she's not going to attack anyone," Kaname said, spotting the approaching car some distance away.

"Oh, and you would know that," Zero scoffed.

Kaname glowered at him as he grabbed him by the arms, making him look at him. "I am certain of it, so don't you dare get that gun near her or I'll rip off your arms!"

"That is if she doesn't rip _your_ head first," Zero glared at him. If she had attacked him once, what would stop her to do so again?

Kaname's hands fell, his mind suddenly reminding him of her mother's face years ago. Her face distorted in pain and hunger, her eyes gleaming red and looking down on him as nothing more than prey. He suddenly remembered the fear that had taken over him.

That day he had been feeling really miserable and had gone to his mother looking for some comfort, only to be attacked by her and be drained almost dry. He had felt pain, his life slowly flowing into his mother's mouth, but he hadn't stopped her. He had been young and terrified, his little sister was being cared by Cross, his family had been torn apart, he really didn't have anything to lose anymore, and if he were to die, he was glad it was going to be by his mothers hands. But he had survived, and sometimes, even now, he wished he had just died right there.

He had done a terrible thing after he woke up. He could still remember his throat burning up, wanting blood, his mind desperate for it, his eyes so red. Young vampires had very little control over their thirst, and after almost dying…he should have died, he was the one who should have been locked up, not his mother.

And his mind filled him with pain, fear and guilt every time he remembered her face. His mother's face all covered in his blood, her eyes hungry…

Zero was confused. He had expected the pureblood to lash at him with angry words or attack him; he would have preferred that he attacked him to…this.

The pureblood's face had become pale and his hands had started shaking. His eyes were scared and he could see a tear trying to fall down his cheeks.

_No, no, no, no, no._

"Hey, hey calm down," Zero said, taking the vampire by the arms to try and steady his now trembling body. What was happening to him? "Um…you okay?"

The hunter was feeling very awkward. They were right at the sidewalk and Kaname was now clutching to his coat as if his life depended on it, his whole body shaking.

Kaname felt the car getting nearer and nearer, the face in his mind getting clearer and clearer. His fear, his guilt…

"Hey!" Zero shook the vampire, finally getting him to see him. Kaname quickly stepped back and looked at the hunter as if he had just realized he was there. He quickly turned away and fixed his face into his usual calm mask.

"What the hell was that?" Zero asked, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable at the thought of anyone seeing them like they were seconds ago, but also…worried. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, of course, but he was worried about the pureblood. What had that been about? For a moment there he though the vampire would start crying…

"I…" Kaname didn't get to say another word when Kaien's car parked right next to them and certain pureblood stepped out.

The pureblood may have had a bad experience in the past, he may be haunted by his mother's pained face, he may have done terrible things, he may be forever consumed by guilt, but as soon as he saw her face, nothing of that mattered.

This was not the face of the woman who had attacked him. This was not the face of the woman who had looked at him and seen someone else. This was not the face of the woman who had almost killed him.

This was his mother, and after almost ten years, she was back. The pain and hunger in her eyes were gone and once again, love and warmth was all he could see in them.

And he was no longer Kaname Kuran, powerful pureblood and head of the Kuran family, respected and feared by everyone who knew his name, no. He was the lost little boy from ten years ago that only wanted to be held by his mother. That's all he wanted, and that is all he cared about right now.

Not caring where they were, not caring who was watching them, the pureblood smiled, a whimper may also have escaped his mouth, and then he ran into his mother's arms.


	8. Prey

I'M ALIVE!

And I am SO sorry for having taken SO LONG in updating this story! A lot of things happened (and are still happening) and they took most of my time ;_; So sorry! I'm slowly coming back form the dead now, though! I've got the next chapter almost done too, and I will do my best to upload it really soon!

Thanks for being so patient with me, guys ._. ! I really appreciate it 33

Hope you enjoy this chapter and that it's not too confusing akjbfds

* * *

><p>Chapter Eight<p>

Fear.

Kaname Kuran was constantly afraid. Always haunted by memories so far away in the past, so mixed with guilt and blood. Now and then he would dream of that past. Deep red eyes staring into his soul, a face so linked with a sense of security slowly morphing into a beast. Sharp teeth slowly approaching and then closing around his throat, followed by the horrible feeling of life slowly leaving the body.

A vampire scared of its own nature? A _pureblood _scared of other vampires? Was it possible? Maybe. Kaname would never really know, because these fears were not his. That was what made it worse.

He had made a mistake, a horrible crime and this was his curse. His punishment.

"Kaname?"

His head was throbbing and his eyes felt awfully heavy. Lights danced under his lids as he tried to open his eyes. _What…?_

"Kaname?"

The pureblood reached with his arm, trying to find the source of the voice. He recognized the voice as his mother's, yet the sight that met him when he finally opened his eyes didn't match the voice calling to him.

"Are you okay?" Zero asked, flinching a bit when his voice seemed to show more concern than he was comfortable with. He was holding Kaname's right arm while Juri held his other arm, both keeping him from completely falling to the ground.

Kaname quickly recovered the strength in his feet and stoop up, slowly drawing his arms back from the two vampires.

"I'm alright," he finally said, clearing his throat while quickly scanning their surroundings for any prying vampire. He couldn't afford any sign of weakness in a public place like this.

"What the hell was that?" Zero asked, cutting the pureblood's thoughts.

Juri gave the young hunter a quick glance before turning back to her son. "Kaname, are you okay? You…fainted."

Kaname glanced at Kaien, who was watching him with knowing eyes from behind his mother. The older hunter nodded and Kaname sighed.

Zero didn't miss the exchange, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What?"

The exchange didn't miss Juri, either. "What's happening? Tell me!" Juri demanded, looking from her son to her friend. "Kaname, are you alright?"

"Do you want me to handle it?" Kaien asked, still looking at Kaname. The pureblood looked at Juri with pained eyes and shook his head. "I'll do it myself."

Kaien nodded and walked over to Zero, taking him by the shoulder and pulling him away from the pureblood pair.

"Hey, what's happening?" Zero asked, pulling away from his adopted father once they were a good distance from the vampires.

Kaien grabbed the young ex-human by the arms and looked at him with a serious face. "Zero, I need you to tell me something."

Zero glared, clearly annoyed at having to go through all this suspense. "What is it?"

"Has your view on vampires changed since you started spending time with Kaname?"

Zero frowned. "No."

"Be honest!" Kaien demanded. "Please, Zero."

Zero glanced back at Kaname who was now inside the car with his mother. He couldn't see his face, but he could feel fear and sorrow coming from the vehicle. Emotions he was too familiar with. He wondered what was happening that made Kaname act like this and Kaien ask him this question. Was something about to happen?

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Answer me." Kaien simply said.

Zero stared back at the older hunter. He could feel his fingers digging into his arms as he waited for his answer. Of course his view on vampires had changed. He would have already shot Kaname between the eyes if he still thought like he did a few months back. But he didn't know just how much. He didn't know what he thought of vampires now, especially not after watching Kaname Kuran faint in front of him with a look of fear and surprise in his face that had made him look so…human.

"Somewhat." Zero finally answered. "I think I'm able to make a few exceptions to my opinion towards the race."

Kaien showed him a small proud smile. "Zero, I'm sure Kaname will want to talk to you after this. I want you to try and not judge him so fast, alright? I want you to remember how you think of vampires right now and try to keep it this way."

Zero was about to speak when a loud noise came from behind them. Both hunters quickly turned to the car and saw as Juri got out of the car with Kaname following behind. Zero quickly noticed the smell of blood in the air and two punctures quickly healing on Kaname's wrist. Both vampires looked sad and guilty.

"I don't understand any of this," Zero whispered, doing his best to not concentrate on the sweet smell that surrounded the pureblood.

Kaien just patted Zero on the shoulder before going back to Juri's side.

* * *

><p>"I can feel Kaname-sama's presence outside," Aidou said with a resigned smile. "He knows I'm here with you, I bet he's just waiting for me to go out so he can snap my neck."<p>

"I'll protect you," Yuuki promised, giving the noble a warm smile that made his heart melt.

"You're so cute," Aidou grinned. "And I really mean it this time."

Yuuki felt her cheeks warm up. "Stop saying that."

Aidou chuckled. "You know, whatever happens from now on, I want you to know I will always be there for you, Yuuki-chan." Yuuki blushed as she felt her hand getting wrapped in Aidou's. "Things will get complicated for you and Kaname-sama as soon as he tells you the truth of your past. And that is why he has been avoiding it., but I won't let him keep hiding this from you. Not anymore."

Yuuki felt a warm feeling inside her chest. She was still very confused over this side of Aidou, but so far, she liked it.

"I'll protect you from Kaname-senpai," Yuuki promised again. "I won't let him hurt you or say mean things to you. You're just helping me out, and I appreciate it. Thank you."

Aidou smiled and brought her hand to his lips, placing a small kiss on the delicate hand. Yuuki blushed again.

* * *

><p>Zero watched as Kaien drove away with Juri back to the Kuran manor. He turned to Kaname. The pureblood was sitting on the car's seat, staring at his hands with a defeated look on his face. The hunter sighed and went to sit next to him, closing the door to give him some privacy. He didn't say anything and just patted the vampire on the shoulder like Kaien had done with him.<p>

The pureblood looked at him and, to his surprise, the hunter gave him a small smile. Kaname groaned and buried his face in his hands.

Zero drew his hand back. "What is it?"

"You're going to hate me so much," Kaname moaned. He didn't know why it was a problem; he hadn't had any problem with Zero hating him before. But now it kinda hurt.

"I already hate you," Zero smirked, placing his hand back on Kaname's shoulder. Kaname chuckled and rested his chin on his hands, looking up at the hunter once more.

"Gee, thanks"

Zero smiled and rested back on the seat, keeping his hand in contact with the pureblood. They both remained in comfortable silence for a long while until Yuuki finally made her reappearance.

Zero quickly made his way towards the door but Kaname stopped him by grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back.

"What is it?" Zero tried pulling away but Kaname held his arm firmly. The pureblood looked at him with a strange expression that made Zero's insides churn. "What?"

"Can I call you Zero?"

Zero stared at the pureblood like he had grown two heads. "What?"

"Can I call you by your name?" Kaname calmly asked again. "You can call me Kaname if you want."

"Wha-" Zero didn't know what was happening. Had he missed something? "Don't you think this is not a good moment for that?"

"Can I?" Kaname insisted.

"Um," Zero shrugged uncertainly, not quite sure yet what was happening. "I guess, yeah, whatever. But-"

Kaname smiled. "Thanks."

Zero stared at him for a moment, trying his best not to notice how his cheeks had raised their temperature. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Kaname replied, smile still in place.

"Zero! Kaname-senpai!"

Zero jumped, startled, and turned to the window. He quickly rolled down the window and stared into Yuuki's pouting face looking back at him.

"I told you to go home, didn't you get my text?" Yuuki said, watching both men inside the car.

"No, we didn't." Zero lied. "Who was it then?"

Yuuki bit her lip and the hunter didn't miss her whole face getting warmer. She hesitated to answer, obviously preoccupied of what the pureblood would say about it. Her eyes shifted between Zero and Kaname a couple of times before getting enough courage to speak again.

"First I want you both to promise me you will leave him alone, alright?"

Zero frowned. To his surprise, he heard Kaname give a small chuckle. The hunter turned to the pureblood and raised his eyebrows at his calm, smiling expression.

"It's Aidou-senpai," Yuuki blurted out, her cheeks warming up even more.

Both vampires glanced at each other briefly before feigning surprise.

"It's just him so you can be sure he won't hurt me," Yuuki quickly added, her eyes never leaving Kaname's face. Which was a good thing, Zero thought. He was a much better actor than him.

Zero turned back to Yuuki and scoffed. "He's hurt you before. He bit you."

Yuuki glared at the hunter and quickly turned back to Kaname. "That was long ago. He's learned to be better. That's what the school is for, after all, isn't it?"

Zero sighed and felt the older vampire shift in his seat. The pureblood was looking at Yuuki with concern and…sadness?

Zero shrank into his seat as he felt both Kaname and Yuuki staring at each other, a silent conversation in their eyes. He could feel their emotions, especially Kaname's, dancing all around him. There was sadness, definitely. Uncertainty. Doubt. Fear.

Hunger.

No. That wasn't them. That was him.

Zero bit his lip as he caught himself staring at Kaname's neck. The soft smell of blood from earlier was faint now, but Zero could still feel it. He could still smell it, as if it had been impregnated into his mind. Kaname's blood.

He risked a quick glance at his wrist. Healed. Of course. Skin as smooth as if it had never been touched. His fingers ached to touch that skin. To slide his hands up the pureblood's arm and into his dark hair. To run his tongue across his soft neck and…

"Zero!"

* * *

><p>Kaname could feel the hunter's bloodlust washing over him. He didn't need to look at the young vampire to know his eyes were red. They had been since he had stepped out of his mother's car, but the impressive control of the hunter had calmed them down a bit. But control could only go so far. He had been impressed that Zero could maintain such calm when they were both alone in the car, his scent overpowering their surroundings.<p>

Yuuki noticed too. Her eyes had slid from the pureblood to her friend's in a second. She had quickly opened the door to the car and grabbed Zero by the arm, calling his name.

"Yuuki, stay away!" Kaname grabbed the hunter by both arms, holding him in place. "Seiren, take her home!"

Two strong, but careful, arms appeared around Yuuki, pulling her away from the car.

"No! I can help! Let me help him!"

"Take her home and…" Kaname groaned in frustration, still holding Zero, who was trying his best to regain control over his instincts. "Take her to Aidou, tell him to keep an eye on her and take her home. Then hurry back and drive us away. Zero needs to get away from here."

He hated having someone else taking care of her, but Yuuki's devotion to Zero could lead her to give away her blood again. Kaname knew Zero's hunger had been getting out of control recently. Every day a step nearer to his fall. His concern over Yuuki had been able to keep his instincts buried deep down inside of him, his will to control himself stronger than ever. But now he was very near his limit. Letting him take from Yuuki again could turn dangerous. Very dangerous. And he knew how that felt like. He needed to have Yuuki away.

"Zero, listen to me," Kaname turned to the struggling vampire when Seiren had rushed away, taking Yuuki with her. He held Zero by the arms. "You need blood, Zero, or you will turn…savage."

Zero raised his gaze to him, his eyes bright red and his expression completely twisted in rage and want. The creature snarled at the pureblood and Kaname gasped as he felt Zero's fingers digging into his arms..

"I need you to control your thirst, Zero, just a little more."

The car suddenly started moving. Seiren back at the wheel, silent as ever.

"Take us somewhere safe," Kaname ordered, not letting his hold off Zero.

* * *

><p>Blood.<p>

He needed blood.

His throat burned.

No. Stop.

_I can smell it._

Zero groaned. No. This was not him. He could control himself. He could.

His surroundings slowly turned a little less blurry. He could feel two arms around him, holding him in place. His own hands were holding the arms. Holding them too hard. His fingers clawing at them. Kaname's face was near him. He was worried. Funny that.

Zero tried to breathe. Not a good idea, considering the pureblood's arms were bleeding. Not much. His injuries healed fast. So fast. But the blood remained. It stained the vampire's clothes.

_I can smell it._

It was overwhelming. The pain in his throat intensified and his vision blurred again. He needed this.

_I want it._

He didn't know what was happening around him. All he could see was the blood. All he could smell was the blood. All he wanted was the blood.

_I want it all._

Suddenly the arms held him tighter. He could feel the blood nearer. He could listen to a heart. It was beating fast. Too fast.

He felt himself lift off the floor. The arms were still around him. He could feel wind around him. Was he running?

Zero tried opening his eyes, but all he could see was a big blur.

_Kaname, where are you?_

He could smell him. He was here. He was holding him. He was so close to him.

_I want it. I want it all._

He couldn't take it anymore. It was so tempting. It was so close. What was the point in resisting? He had all he wanted right here. He could have it whenever he wanted it. There was no threat around him. There was no one but him and the delicious scent. It was all his.

_Mine._

With a snarl, he grabbed the warmth that held him, and, with a leap, he took hold of his prey.

_Mine._

"Zero…"

He pinned the pureblood to the floor. The floor was soft. Dirt?

He couldn't see his surroundings. All he could see was the beautiful creature under him and the blood that ran in his veins. And it was all his.

_All mine._

An eager tongue ran over soft skin.

_All mine. _

_All mine!_

Zero could taste it already.

_All mine! All mine!_

He was so hungry.

_I want it. I want everything. All mine._

His fangs grazed the soft, hot skin.

_Yes._

The vampire took his prey at last.

_Everything._


	9. Thirst

_MY GOD! You have no idea how sorry I am for taking so long updating this story! SO SORRY D: ! Having a hard time with RL lately, went into writing to distract myself for a while, God knows I need a rest from all this -_- Won't go into details, you guys have waited too long for a next chapter, so here it is! Finally!_

_**Warning: This is where this fic starts having a reason for being rated M.**_

_More notes at the end._

* * *

><p>Chapter Nine.<p>

_Kaname had never seen such a small creature in his life. Big brown eyes looked up at him. A tiny little mouth opened and closed, letting out adorable little noises that made his mother giggle._

"_Isn't she cute?"_

_Kaname nodded. She was. This little, fragile baby was cute. Adorable. Beautiful._

"_What's her name?"_

"_Her name is Yuuki," a voice behind him answered. Kaname turned to find a tall dark haired man smiling down at him. He had seen him a lot. He and his wife were friends with his parents. They were human, but Father always said not to call them that. They never minded, though, when the word slipped Kaname's mouth once in a while. The pair would only smile and shake it off, telling Kaname's parents that it was not a problem._

_They were nice. Kaname liked them. The man's wife was also really nice. She always made delicious snacks for Kaname and gave him small gifts like scarves and hats. Kaname liked coming here._

_And now they had a baby. _

"_Are you going to help us take care of her, Kaname?" the man asked, ruffling the young pureblood's curls._

"_I will!" Kaname smiled, beaming up at the human couple._

I will.

_The baby soon started walking. Talking. Kaname loved her._

_She made Kaname smile. She made everyone around her happy. It was her gift. No matter who it was, she would always make a big smile appear on whoever laid eyes on her shining face._

"_Kaname! Kaname!"_

_She learned to say his name first. Not her mother's. Not her father's. Not anyone's. His name. And he loved it._

_Her hand would always be in his. Her arms always reaching out to him. His name always in her mouth._

_Somewhere along the way, Kaname swore to himself that he would keep her safe for as long as he lived, and even more, if he could. She was human. She was fragile. Anything could happen to her. Anything could hurt her. But he wouldn't let that happen. He would keep her safe forever._

_He would destroy whatever dared hurt Yuuki._

"_No! Stop! Please!"_

_Stop!_

_Kaname's eyes widened in horror as Kaien burst into the Kuran manor. The smell of blood all around him._

_He knew that smell._

"_Yuuki!"_

_His mother caught him before he could follow the hunter out of the room._

"_Yuuki!"_

"_Kaname, I need you to stay here, alright? Do not leave the house!" his father ordered him as he rushed out the door after the hunter._

_Kaname cried. He begged his mother to let him go. To let him help. To let him save Yuuki and her family. Her mother just cried and kept her hold on him._

"_Yuuki!"_

Zero slowly opened his eyes. His head felt lighter, his throat back to normal. His instincts satisfied.

The smell of blood was overwhelming, but he no longer longed for it that much. It still called to him, but the need to get it was gone.

Why?

The hunter lifted his head from the muddy floor and found his energies fully restored. He obviously had fallen asleep after drinking blood. As he tried to lift his body from the ground, his memories from before falling asleep started rushing back, pushing back the ones from his strange dreams for another time.

Just as realization hit him, someone behind him cleared his throat. Zero turned, more quickly than expected, fresh blood still coursing through his system, and found Kaname slumped against a tree trunk. His clothes were damp with blood and dirt, his face paler than usual and with an obvious need for help.

Zero's stomach made an ugly twist as he walked up to the mess of a pureblood he had made. As he was about to reach for the man, Kaname's whole body flinched, causing Zero to immediately back away.

Guilt was eating the hunter up as Kaname's frightened frame kept his distance from him, his eyes obviously embarrassed at being seen in this state of utter weakness.

"Kaname..?" Zero managed to choke out in a whisper, fearful to break the man in front of him even further if he dared speak too loud.

The older vampire sighed and finally looked up at the ex-human, revealing his tear smeared face. Zero gasped as he looked into the vampire's puffy eyes. Knowing this man in front of him, the hunter knew well how the great pureblood pride must have been smashed down, or Kaname would have never let him see his face like this.

Zero knew he hadn't taken that much blood, he could somehow feel it inside of him, the amount of blood he felt cursing inside of him felt…just enough, he wasn't sure what had caused him to stop drinking or to pass out, but whatever it was, he was grateful. The blazing red marks upon the pale neck, though, spoke volumes of the brutality of the act. Not only that, looking around at the marks on the mud, the scratches on the trees and some rocks, the way both their clothes were ripped…Kaname had clearly struggled and tried to get away.

Zero could feel the guilt pulling at his very heart, and after a moment of hesitation, he slowly approached the pureblood again. With as much care as he could manage, he took the spot next to the vampire and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, carefully pulling him close in an act of what he hoped was taken as comfort.

"Hey, are you alright?" he tried.

The pureblood grabbed at the hunter's shirt, biting his lip hard and swallowing down the thirst he could feel building in this throat.

_Stop, stop it! STOP!_

"I'm…I'm alright," whispered Kaname, hand still clutching at his companion's shirt.

Zero turned to look at the vampire in his arms. His pale face clearly trying to mask up his feelings, his fear…that fear he had seen in his mind. And then there was…something else…

Yuuki, he had seen her. He had heard her scream.

"You've known her for so long…"

Kaname's whole body tensed.

"She..." Zero closed his eyes, concentrating on those memories Kaname's blood had shared with him. That scream. He couldn't let it go. It echoed in his head and filled him with fear, anger and…

"You're afraid of...being bitten?"

The silence that followed worried Zero. If he didn't have the pureblood in his arms, he would have thought he was alone.

"Kaname?"

No answer.

Zero looked down at the blank expression on the vampire. The amount of blood still splattered all over them both reminded him how tired the pureblood could be right now.

_Please! Stop! Stop!_

"I'm not," Kaname suddenly said, so low Zero almost thought he had imagined it.

"But-"

"No," Kaname sobbed, his hold on the hunter tightening.

Zero hadn't taken as much blood as Kaname had expected him to. His body was already recovering his blood levels and, being a pureblood, even the nasty bite wound around his neck would not take that long to heal. The tiredness he felt was caused by a different reason. A reason he didn't feel like sharing right now.

The hunter just nodded and kept cradling the vampire. They remained like that for a while, surrounded only by the sounds of nature and the soft breeze that reached them from in between the trees.

"You should stop hiding," Zero whispered, his hand absentmindedly caressing Kaname's curls. He knew he should feel strange, being like this with the vampire. But he didn't. Right now, drunk with satisfaction at having fresh blood in his system, he didn't feel strange at all while holding his former enemy like this. In fact, he felt rather content. And that thought alone should have made him shove the man off and walk back home. But not today. Not now, not after what he had just done. He owed Kaname this much. "Your emotions, I mean. Maybe to the world, to the damn predators out there, yes, but not from me, Kaname."

The pureblood smiled sadly against the hunter's arms. He felt so warm, so happy right now. He hadn't felt like this in so long, and yet…he knew that as soon as he revealed his past, all this would end. These arms would leave him. The cold would come back.

"You wouldn't like it," he whispered.

"Try me."

"I'd rather not."

"Why not?"

But he couldn't hide it forever. Not when Zero had some of his memories in his head now. If the hunter started thinking about them he would start asking more questions. Questions that he wouldn't like the answer to. He'd ask for answers that would surely drive him away.

Selfishness. Not an uncommon feeling in a pureblood.

Kaname turned his head to the hunter, inhaling his scent, hand pulling at the blood soaked shirt in front of him. _So good. _

He would tell him the truth, he promised himself. He would tell him everything because he couldn't bear the thought of hiding anything from him anymore. Even if that meant driving him away. That wasn't selfish, was it? Not at all.

Or maybe it was. He honestly didn't care right now. He would reveal his past, he would, for the first time in his life, open up to somebody for the sole reason that his secret was eating him away. After everything was out, he'd let the hunter choose. He was sure his secret would cause Zero to back away, to go back to hate him and look at him with disgust. That wouldn't be too bad, would it? They have hated each other for year, why would it matter if their attempt at friendship failed? It wouldn't matter.

Really, it wouldn't.

So why did it hurt so much to think about going back to those days? To the days where those beautiful violet eyes would look at him in disgust and resentment. With indifference and coldness. He didn't care back then, why did he care now?

But he couldn't keep up his secret. Not anymore. He was dying to tell it to someone and, deep inside, he craved forgiveness. He craved for someone he could rely on and not judge him, to not expect anything from him. To accept and understand him.

Could Zero be that person?

Kaname raised his gaze to the man beside him. Uncertain eyes stared back at him and it was all Kaname could do to not cry right there and then.

He had to let him know. He had to let him make his choice.

"Kaname..?"

But not yet. He would have this time with him first. He would take before letting go. Was that selfish? Maybe.

The sudden want that filled Kaname surprised him. His body had relaxed, calmed down, and then suddenly escalated to a feeling he hadn't experienced in so long.

Want. Lust.

As he kept taking the other's scent in, he felt it. Zero was drunk with blood. Still feeling that giddiness that came after filling one's body with fresh blood. And Kaname's nearness and actions on him were having an effect on him. He could feel it.

Kaname needed to keep Zero's mind away from the past. Away from what he had seen in his blood. He knew exactly what Zero had seen in him. He knew for sure that a certain someone's screams were currently invading his mind. He needed to distract him from that. He needed to distract them both from that.

Before any of them could rationalize what was happening, Kaname had pushed the hunter down on the ground, pinning him in place.

Their previous position made it easy for Kaname to climb over the other, straddling him as he kept inhaling his rich scent. The hunter only sighed and licked his still slightly bloodstained lips.

Blood. Dirt. Grass. Zero.

His senses were driving him crazy.

"Kaname, what are you-?"

"Shh."

The pureblood kept taking his companion's scent in. Just his scent. Over and over until all he could think about was the hunter and all he could smell was the man beneath him.

Zero lifted his arms to Kaname's arms in an attempt to push him away, but before he could even reach the vampire, he caught sight of the pureblood's face still covered in dry tears and some smears of blood. The bite wound around his neck had stopped bleeding and was already trying to heal itself along with the scratches around the vampire's body. Zero's guilt threatened to surface again, and so he pulled his arms back on the ground. Kaname kept sitting on him, just inhaling deeply and getting closer with every second.

Zero, not sure of what to do and trying not to pay attention to the strong reaction his body was having because of the vampire currently on top of him, tried to think of something to say.

In an attempt to sit up, Zero's hips shifted against Kaname's causing a sudden friction between the two men that sent shivers throughout his body and let out a moan from both their throats.

Kaname's eyes popped open as he shifted down onto the hunter, his hands coming up to his neck and back down to his shoulders again. Zero splayed his hands upon the ground, battling his body against the sudden urge to shift his hips again. But did he really want this? With Kaname Kuran of all people? With a _vampire_?

"What are you thinking?" Kaname whispered in what almost sounded as a purr. Their faces were too close together, allowing Kaname's breath to wash over Zero's face and making all the hunter's senses to heighten.

Zero could feel the vampire's body all over him, his scent making its way into his mind to forever stay there. The pureblood's hands kept going up and down around his shoulders, sharp nails teasing his strangely sensitive neck. Did he want this? Did he _really_ want this?

The vampire settled for an answer as Kaname shifted his hips over his again, a surge of electricity shooting up his body and producing another moan from Zero.

"What are you thinking?" Kaname asked again, this time in what sounded more like a hiss.

Zero's hands shot up at his voice, taking hold of the dark haired vampire's hips and pulling his weight up. In a swift movement, Zero turned them around, pinning Kaname to the ground.

"I think this will completely fuck up what we've been building over the last weeks," Zero finally answered as he ground his hips down on the pureblood's, causing Kaname to moan again. "Whatever that was."

"O-Oh yeah?" Kaname gasped as Zero repeated the motion. Kaname's head was rapidly growing fuzzy, either for his recent blood loss or pure lust, or both. The vampire flailed his arms in an attempt to grab onto something, anything, as the man over him kept repeating the motions, slowly finding a rhythm. "You seem reluctant to stop, though."

"I do," Zero grinned, taking hold of Kaname's flailing arms and pinning them over his head without stopping the now circular motion between their hips. Zero lowered his head and breathed the dark-haired man's intoxicating scent in. The blood inside of him screamed, begging him to take once more of the sweet neck before him. "God, you smell so good," he growled instead.

Kaname bit his lower lip and raised his hips in an attempt to get more, to feel more. His pants felt horribly tight, but with his arms pinned over him all he could do was keep moving his hips up, meeting each of Zero's thrusts, their straining erections creating a friction so delicious Kaname's eyes started rolling up.

"Fuck," Zero gasped, making his thrusts harder every time. Neither thought to ever do this with another man, certainly not with each other, and any other day in the past both would have grimaced at the idea of even being so near each other, but now that it was happening, neither could bring themselves to stop. On the contrary, both wouldn't even dream of stopping now. With each wonderful bump of the straining bulges in their pants, the need for more got stronger and stronger. The need to feel more, the need for release.

Finally unable to keep going on like this, Zero released one of Kaname's now slightly bruised wrists and reached down between them, quickly undoing both their buttons and reaching for their now gratefully free erections with such skill Zero vaguely wondered where he'd gotten it from.

Kaname groaned as the friction became stronger, now that they were just skin on skin, furiously rubbing against each other with need.

Moans and growls filled the air, neither man sure of which moans were their own and which were the others. Their visions blurred with lust and their eyes glowed red in their dark surroundings. The trees around them could be on fire and neither would care.

Not long after their hands had found their way around the other's body, nails scratching, fangs grazing skin, teeth nipping each other's necks but somehow never biting, tongues seeking the taste of sweat and blood. The air around them was completely intoxicating and invaded every sense, clouded every corner of their minds, fed their thoughts only with want and the feeling of friction between them.

It was a while later that both men finally found release in each other's arms. Their bodies shuddered and their thrusts became almost spasmodic as they spilled in between their bodies.

Zero let out a shuddering sigh as his body finally calmed down. Trying to regain his breath, he looked down at the gasping pureblood beneath him. Their gazes locked for a moment, their actions slowly sinking into each other's consciousness.

Neither knew for sure how long they stared at each other, but when they finally came out of it, their bodies had relaxed, their breaths and hearts gone back to a normal speed, and the cold wind was swiftly creeping into their surprisingly not very tired bodies.

Zero lifted his body and carefully rolled off Kaname, lying next to him with a soft thud. Nor Kaname or Zero said a word, both choosing to only stare up at the starred sky, barely visible among the leaves and branches of the trees.

A whole hour may have passed before Zero finally decided to break the silence.

"Where are we?"

Kaname blinked and frowned, as if trying hard to process the question. With a swift look around the place, he answered in a low voice. "A few miles from the Academy…"

Zero nodded and, avoiding the other's gaze, sat up. He grimaced as he noticed the evidence of their recent activities all over his clothes. With quick movements, he pulled off his shirt and wiped himself clean before zipping himself up.

After a moment of self-debating, at last he pulled himself to his feet and turned to Kaname.

"Here," he said, shoving his shirt to him. "Clean yourself up, we have to go back."

Kaname accepted the shirt and sat up, repeating Zero's process before looking awkwardly around, not sure what to do with it after.

Zero rolled his eyes and took it back. "We might need to burn this thing," he said as he helped Kaname onto his feet with his other hand. "Don't want to attract attention with…certain scents."

The pureblood raised an eyebrow at him and let a small grin invade his face.

"You don't need to act all smug about it," Zero grumbled, trying to resist his own grin from reaching his lips. But no matter how much he tried to avoid it, by the time they had managed to produce a fire and burn Zero's shirt, they were both laughing and leaning against each other, feeling completely ridiculous but still unable to stop.

They didn't know what would become of them after this, they had no idea how they would proceed from here or how the hell they had managed to affect each other so deeply in such a short time, but neither had any desire to over-think themselves at the moment. Without saying anything, both men agreed to just have a little moment of not thinking before jumping back to consequences.

The night soon found both vampires sleeping on the ground in front of their small warming fire, lying next to each other and hands reaching for the other, seeking their -for now- comforting presences, careless minds giving them pleasant dreams neither had experienced in a long time.

But not for long, for certain new memories in Zero's mind threatened to creep into his peaceful rest. A familiar, if younger, voice echoing inside his mind, repeating itself over and over, haunting his thoughts, bringing an unknown sense of guilt and self-loathing he knew, even in his sleep, were not his own.

"_Please stop, I'm scared. Please."_

* * *

><p><em>I don't think this fic will be that long, I'm TRYING not to make it too long as to not have you guys trapped in my slow writing! Again, sorry for taking so long in updating, but I promise you, I PROMISE, that I will finish this story. I WON'T leave you with an incomplete story, God knows how much it frustrates me when that happens!<em>

_A million thanks to all of you who keep reviewing and adding this story to their favorites. Keeps the pressure on me very time I get a new notification xD! They keep my mind screaming at me to update soon! I love you all guys and this story would not be possible at all without your support *-*_

_I should also confess to you guys that I'm writing another fic. A Sherlock fic. I might add it to soon because it's currently only available on AO3. Anyway, I had to tell you guys that, because for that reason I keep going between writing for this story and then for the other. So sorry for doing this, I am suffering for it, believe me kjsdhjkfds_

_Being obsessed with two things at the same time is not healthy D:_

_Anyway, enough of boring author's comments. THANK YOU, GUYS, AGAIN! For all the support. I love you all and I will try my best to update as soon as possible *-* !_

_Hope you guys have a great new year!_

_3_


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